The Descent - how game devs learned to love ladders
Arkane Austin developed a distinctive creative culture centered around memorable design philosophies. Studio head Harvey Smith and founder Raphael Colantonio famously plastered the office walls with motivational posters containing design principles—including the irreverent motto “Fuck ladders,” which reflected the studio’s unconventional approach to game development.
This philosophy emerged during Arkane’s early, financially struggling years when the unfunded studio was attempting to develop projects based on Thief and Blade Runner. Smith and Colantonio created these posters using a motivational poster generator to help communicate studio values to newly hired team members who hadn’t absorbed the studio’s creative ethos through osmosis.
The studio’s willingness to embrace unconventional thinking and challenge standard game design conventions—symbolized by their tongue-in-cheek rejection of ladders as a game mechanic—reflected their broader creative philosophy. While the initial Thief and Blade Runner projects ultimately didn’t materialize, Arkane’s distinctive design-focused culture would later contribute to the development of Dishonored, a cult-favorite first-person action game. The studio’s unconventional approach to design, encapsulated by memorable mottos like “Fuck ladders,” became part of Arkane’s creative identity.