Dying Light’s former director believes devs are obligated ’to focus and listen to the players’ because as soon as a game’s released ‘it stops being only your game’
Tymon Smektała, director of the zombie parkour franchise Dying Light for 13 years, has stepped down from his role and shared reflections on developer responsibility in game development. Speaking at the Digital Dragons Conference, Smektała emphasized that developers have a fundamental obligation to listen to their playerbase after a game’s release.
“As soon as you release the game, it stops being only your game,” Smektała explained, noting that players become “stakeholders” with opinions and expectations that should shape a game’s ongoing evolution. This perspective reflects a broader shift in modern game development, where post-launch community engagement and feedback loops have become central to a game’s long-term success.
Smektała’s 13-year tenure with Dying Light exemplifies this player-centric philosophy, as the franchise evolved through updates, expansions, and community-driven improvements following its initial release. His comments highlight the increasing importance of developer responsiveness to player feedback, particularly for games employing ongoing engagement models.
The remarks underscore a growing industry conversation about developer-community relationships, suggesting that treating players as active participants in a game’s evolution—rather than merely consumers of a finished product—represents both a practical business strategy and a moral obligation. Smektała’s departure marks the end of an era for the series, though his emphasis on listening to players continues to influence how studios approach long-term community engagement.