# The Descent - how game devs learned to love ladders

> Before Xbox closed Arkane Austin, the studio had 20 design philosophies plastered on its walls. One read, succinctly, "Fuck ladders.

- **Source:** [Eurogamer](https://www.eurogamer.net/the-descent-how-game-devs-learned-to-love-ladders?utm_source=gearopen.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=feed&utm_content=6a53861ad17cc1f86ee43532)
- **Published:** 2026-07-12
- **Category:** Gaming
- **Tags:** #xbox #ai
- **Canonical:** http://localhost:4321/a/6a53861ad17cc1f86ee43532

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_GearOpen's distilled summary. The full original article is published at Eurogamer (source link above); GearOpen does not republish the source's full text._