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Devoted Wives of Rockstar San Diego Decry Studio Conditions
by Garnett Lee, Jan 11, 2010 8:00pm PSTLate last week in an open letter appearing on Gamasutra a group calling themselves the "Determined Devoted Wives of Rockstar San Diego Employees" made serious accusations about deteriorating work conditions at the studio. Though its current project is not specifically named, the studio is currently in the thick of development on Red Dead Redemption aiming to hit an April 27 launch this year. While long hours and crunch time have long been a part of the game development cycle, the circumstances described in the letter point to an unrelenting push that is taking a heavy toll on the employees.
Claims put forth in the letter include required 12-plus hour workdays six days a week, intimidation tactics used when employees need time off for doctor appointments, reduction of benefits and specifically comp time off, and annual salary increases under the cost of inflation rate. In the long thread of comments that follow a number of posters claiming ties to the San Diego and other Rockstar studios support the accusations.
While difficult to validate any of these comments individually without potentially jeopardizing the source, the volume and specificity of them make a strong case for their being rooted in the truth. It offers an unfortunate commentary on the state of the industry that it could have degenerated again to the state it was in circa 2004 when the EA Spouse scandal struck. Given the prolonged economic recession, though, it's almost hard to imagine that it took this long to hear about a slide back to old bad habits.
Current circumstances also put a tough road before the Determined Devoted Wives of Rockstar San Diego. Following up on the letter with sources at the studio Joystiq learned that they are likely done developing their star racing series, Midnight Club. Between terminations and departures that team has dissolved. The source went on to say that Take-Two in order to generate some much needed cash may outsource a Midnight Club to get it cranked out. Worse yet, without that franchise, the future of the studio post-Red Dead Redemption is anybody's guess. Given Take-Two's precarious financial situation, Rockstar San Diego could be shuttered, its employees forgotten casualties who never see the fruits of their labor.
With the run of layoffs and studio closures over the past several months this could be a sign that best practices for development may have taken a back seat to corporate pressures. In addition to the comments below, Shacknews always accepts confidential responses to news@shacknews.com and through our news submission form.
Comments
You've obviously never been screwed over and lied to.
Ive taken jobs where I was clear up front and the guy flat out lied. Then slowly, almost so slow its hard to notice as you are not sure if you are wrong or not, your job changes, tasks are longer, days are longer, pay stays the same. Next thing you know, you are working 60+ hours a week at a job you didnt interview for, and if you divide that by your pay, you are actually making less hourly than Wal-Mart greeter.
And you cant just up and quit. All your experience is this, so if you try and change careers, or even get a similar job, you wont even get an interview because your experience is something else. You cant get a job cause you dont have experience, yet you dont have experience cause you cant get a job.
Yes, the work is gratifying, but not if you are not paid, are lied to, layered with threats and intimidation, no sleep , eat poorly, time to exercise, and health is deteriorating.
I do not think its fair to blame the workers unless they were told the truth up front, and most arent. The reputation has only recently been brought to life the past 10 yrs or so, most of these folks signed up way before then.
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Our law firm has been investigating the possibility of filing a Class Action Lawsuit against Rockstar and Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. Please give us a call immediately to discuss the possibility of joining the Class Action as a representative. Edwin Aiwazian, Esq., The Aiwazian Law Firm, 410 W. Arden Avenue, Suite 203, Glendale, CA 91203 (818) 265-1020
Come to NY and see who cries for you. When I started outside of the city at my current job, 15 hour days were expected and starting pay was $40k. You also worked Saturdays. Wanna keep your job? Wanna get paid more? Then put up with the "indignity" of employment and get on with it.
It's a job in finance, and no, not attached to any of the bailout BS. Believe me, there are tons off people who work those kind of hours and the ceiling for their job title will be in the neighborhood of $70k. They're doing it because they like to work and because they know that in the long run they'll move up in the world.
I love when the "wives" get together and start complaining. Both housewives and househusbands have no idea what the rest of us do, and frankly, most of us love what we do. Many of these ladies would consider a part time job to be a crushing burden for them to endure.
It's a tough economy. Would you prefer the alternative?
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It is trying so hard to sound impressive and erudite that it reads like some freshman in high school got a hold of a thesaurus and went to town.
I really want to have sympathy, but when they use so many trite phrases and "big words" in such completely awkward ways, it totally undermines the message.
Did not one of those wives ever learn how to write a decently-formed letter? I really hate to say it, but it makes them all seem like simpletons who should be patted on the head and tsk'd at for not knowing how the real working world operates instead of having valid complaints that should be addressed.
It's like they all read and thought, "Yeah, all our big words will show them what stupidheads they are being."
A) Happy
B) Given sufficient amount of breaks
C) Treated Fairly
D) All of the Above
Down with evil empires!!!
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i worked from about 11am to about 4-5am for over a year at a very respected developer years ago. its normal, thats just how the industry works. i think i only had 8 days off the whole first year i worked, as a temp at that.
game development takes commitment. its hard, thats why its not for everyone.
yeah, the pay was shit. but i still look back on that time of my life as some of the most amazing, creative, and demanding work ive ever done.
would i do it again? i dont know. with the way post launch layoffs work, its hard to try to plan to pay all of your bills. which is why i left the industry.
but despite the long hours, shit pay, and bad nutrition. i miss it. i miss it every day.
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However, cutting back on benefits, incremental below-cost of living salary increases, and much of the other things described in this letter are par for the course in a recession. My own employer adopted draconian health benefits for 2010 (higher cost, lower coverage, higher deductibles), did not give raises AT ALL last year, stopped 401K matching, suspended all R&R programs (bonuses, dinners, even $20 gift certificates), and canceled almost all travel. These are typical (and hopefully temporary) cost saving measures that may help stave off, reduce, or even prevent a reduction in force.
If you don't like it - get another job - No ?
Why ?
No Studios are hiring as they were. You could say that they are lucky to be working and paying cash into their families. Line 100 people up and 12 walk forward with no job.
Don't bitch as your name will be on a great game plus you have an end date in sight - no end date if your 1 in 12.
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Same reason I don't get into the automotive aftermarket/tuning business, though I've moonlighted for years. Every kid wants to get into it, so there is always some sap willing to work for next to nothing to get their foot in the door, fallaciously thinking it will get better later. However, it is an industry were there are a few big winners and a lot of losers scraping by.
So instead I work a fairly normal job that does stuff I have no particular interest in. It's not that exciting, and I still sometimes have to work odd hours with on call and such, but there is much worse out there. I get a good paycheck, benefits, and they don't work me into the ground. It's a choice I made with my career.
Kids, the game industry is not the best career move. Too many people wanting to do it because it looks like it will be fun/cool/whatever. The cool factor will wear off fast.
I'm not numb to their plight, but there has to be some realization for these employees that this is how the industry is right now.
work'em hard
and if red dead redemption is not amazing then they were not worked hard enough.
perhaps their hubbies would not need to work so hard if the wives got a job
I wish my wife would send my bosses an anonymous poorly written complaint about all the hours I have to work, but she's too busy being overworked at her job to find the time
I'm not feeling at all sympathetic today
"The only thing more unfortunate than what's happening here is the grammar with which it's being described. "
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And You know what? I can't judge those people because I was just as naive when I started. I'm not going to exaggerate and say its the worst job evaar, but you will be overworked and underpayed, that is virtually guaranteed.
I don't hold contempt toward EA, they typically have very generous packages for those they lay off, and they were just doing what they had to do to balance the books since they lost over 650 million in Q4 2008. :X
After all is said and done I can't on clear conscious recommend the games industry, but I know that will fall on deaf ears for those few stary-eyed youngns that get the opportunity. :3
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But man, I've had some really rough, labor intensive jobs in my life working alongside some good people but also a lot of assholes. I feel for these guys, but they chose the life. You just gotta lump it and do what you can to keep the stressors in check. If Rockstar cares, which i'm sure they do, they'll cut 'em some slack or give 'em a nice reward/bonus at the end of the project. If they don't, fuck it, move on and try to find a better company to work for or consider a change of career.
We're all disposable heroes workers now anyway.
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_03/b4163032935448.htm
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Till present, the working conditions persists to deteriorate as employees are manipulated by certain hands that wield the reigns of power in Rockstar San Diego.
That makes my brain hurt just reading it.
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http://www.shacknews.com/laryn.x?id=21852300
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Same deal with 'mandatory hours'. That implies that people are actually hourly workers and should be paid as such since they aren't being measured by the amount of work produced. That doesn't mean peer pressure doesn't come into play. Promotions and bonuses may go to those who put in extra time over those who got the same amount of work done but worked fewer hours.
At the same time, don't expect anything after shipping. Royalties are rare (as in, most games don't make any) and most the compensation for the hours is part of the salaries people get. I'm not trying to be macho here - I've done the long hours before and do everything I can to minimize it for myself - but anyone who is unhappy with their work environment should consider changing where they work. Definitely talk with your boss and see what can be done, but accept that company culture is usually very difficult to change.
From what I've seen, working 11+ hours a day for 6 days a week for some amount of time (3 weeks to a year) isn't terribly uncommon at many companies. Talk about scoping, efficiency, etc all you want, but in the end, games have a budget of X and are trying to get as much out of that as is possible. Hopefully the people on top are aware of the damage they are doing and try to minimize it; you don't want to drive away good talent.
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