Responding to allegations of mismanagement and poor working conditions at its San Diego studio, Rockstar Games says it is "saddened if any former members of any studio did not find their time here enjoyable or creatively fulfilling."
A recent Gamasutra blog post, purportedly composed by a group of wives of Rockstar San Diego employees, set off a firestorm of controversy around claims of excessive crunch and reduced benefits.
Rockstar's first public response came today by way of an "Asked & Answered" Rockstar Newswire post, in which a company rep addressed concerns about the San Diego studio and its upcoming game Red Dead Redemption.
"First off, [fans] have nothing to worry about" with respect to the game itself, the post begins.
And although the existence of the highly-reported employee claims were acknowledged, they were broadly dismissed; Rockstar's response did not explicitly mention any of the specific complaints.
"As for the stories spreading around the internet, yes we have noticed them," it reads. "Unfortunately, this is a case of people taking the opinions of a few anonymous posters on message boards as fact.
"No business is ever perfect, but Rockstar Games is a tight knit team made up of around 900 supremely talented and motivated professionals, many of whom have worked here for a very long time.
"We’re saddened if any former members of any studio did not find their time here enjoyable or creatively fulfilling and wish them well with finding an environment more suitable to their temperaments and needs, but the vast majority of our company are focused solely on delivering cutting edge interactive entertainment," the response continues.
"We’ve always cared passionately about the people working here, and have always tried to maintain a supportive creative environment. There is simply no way Rockstar could continue to produce such large scale, high quality games without this.
"That being said, making great games is very challenging, which is why we have and will continue to try to keep hold of some of the best talent in the industry and support them in every way we can," it concludes. Rockstar had not previously spoken on the issue with members of the press.
Unless they fired all the people who complained about them recently then this is deliberately attempting to mislead.
I also find it hard the believe that a tight-knit team made up of 900 people could actually exist.
For me, having worked in the game industry on and off for a few years now, the "few anonymous posters on message boards" very accurately described a situation that appears to be the norm in many studios around the world.
What a classless response from Rockstar. To say, "Unfortunately, this is a case of people taking the opinions of a few anonymous posters on message boards as fact." is to claim that none of the posts are true. Myself and others have spoken to people inside Rockstar. It's true. The working conditions are unacceptable and Rockstar should be ashamed for not taking responsibility to fix things.
@Reid They're also claiming that it's a disgruntled former employee as David Sinclair points out. While the wording of the message from the wives was rather strange and could point to this being true, it is clear from the people who've talked about their Rockstar San Diego experience that it wasn't a positive one. So whether or not the writer is who he claims to be he/they have revealed the truth.
A typically shameless, jargon-infused response. I can't say I'd expect anything else from R*s talented PR.
As for the commenters on Rockstar's site, it's good to see that their loyal fans are concerned about the welfare of the people making their favorite games, instead of things like PC support, Bully on PS3, and a lack of good cheats.
I've never heard anything good about working at Rockstar. Every person I talk to, weather its Rockstar Vancouver, Toronto, North, Vienna San Diego etc. , say the same thing: mismanagement nightmare that treats its employees like crap until everyone leaves the studio in droves. The people are happy to have their credit on a top seller but beyond that I've never heard someone speak positively about their experience at a Rockstar Studio. Does anyone have a positive Rockstar experience they could share? I'm really curious if I just happened to run into 20 bitter former employees or if it really is that bad.
I can't believe they would rather deny and block than fix the problems. Even a Web Analyst said before all of this broke That Rockstar had to fix its development problems and become an "More Mature" company when it came to release dates. Their games may be great, but if they continue to treat their employees like expendable garbage they can count me out of any future game purchases from their studios.
"First off, [fans] have nothing to worry about" with respect to the game itself.
What's sad is that response. We don't care about the game we care about the people making the game. This industry is still basically in it's infancy which leads to why there are so many "immature" game company's that end up mistreating their employee's... Which is true for Rockstar as well as other company's.
I've had the pleasure of working with many former Rockstar staffers. All of them share similar stories of corporate abuse, no matter what studio they were from. Basically their HR policy is "crunch and STFU". Instant dismissal is usually the consequence of a 1st offence against either.
This response is completely in line with what I've been told about Rockstar management.
Twentieth comment ;( Yah, baby, I'm special and I have my own special olympics.
No, seriously, Rockstar is not alone in having spouses angry at how much crunch time is required to finish a game. It's obvious in their response that they are protecting themselves from being sued as a result of these comments. But creativity suffers in a bad work environment so, yes, fans should be worried!
@ Nicholas: you are completely right! its insulting to me that there first response is "dont worry fans! the game is great!" They obviously dont view this as a serious issue, and their response makes me sick.
Their response is in itself ofensive, as it doesn't explain anything and also lessen the importance of the concerned individuals who wrote the open letter. Also, we can notice that none of their employees is talking about the matter. If a company is so invested in their talented individuals, they would ALL come to their defense.
This is a wake up call for our industry, and I hope we will see more of this letters about abusive companies and their practices. It would also be nice if game magazines and websites wouldn't review or talk about games from a specific company if the alegations about them are _proved_ true.
@Shestopalyuk I stopped and just looked at that myself. What a kick in nuts.
@McLaren I agree, they can't put themselves in a negative spotlight, but as with the Domino commercials I've been seeing with customer responses of it taste like cardboard. Domino is using the commercials to show they are making changes and what to succeed and be better.
If I can't see progress in even a AAA producing company like Rockstar, then I just can't support them anymore. GTA 4 was the only game I bought from them (with the first DLC), but I don't I'll get the second DLC when I can rent it for free. Or buy used....
Gamers who are fans of a company like Bungie, BioWare, Rocksteady, etc. They enjoy the games and they WANT the developers to enjoy making them. They want the people that worked hard for them to be treated well. I've never heard the opposite from a gamer.
The right response would have been to say that they are looking into the working conditions and concerns and will work with the team members to resolve. Then they back that up.
R* needs to work with the tight knit 900 member team and come up with resolutions. The word will get back out that improvement is being made. This shouldn't be a PR move, it should be a "do what's right" move.
Of course, the issue is that R* management doesn't seem to care about what's right.
So after considering the situation about quality of life in our studio we have decided to move all our asset to china where 80 hours work week for 10$/h (no paid overtime of course) will now be the norm, those who refuse relocating can go flip burger, thank you very much.
@Jonathan: and that would be fine by me. at least flipping burgers pays overtime. plus their games would suck and Rockstar would tank. heheh believe me, if Rockstar thought they could make more money by shipping all jobs to China they would already be there.
"Wait, why are you even telling me about this fiasco? Don't we have people we pay to insult the public's intelligence and deny, deny, deny?"
"Well, yes, but..."
"What are we paying them for? This is their time to shine! Get them out there and get them INSULTING! And get me the latest report from our spies at Blizzard...I must have their secrets! Is it voodoo? Mind control? I must know!"
I was fired from Angel Studios a few months before they got bought out by Rockstar (back in 2002).
In retrospect, I was lucky.
From what I heard at the time, a lot of the old-time Angel Studios employees, who had planned to work there for life, left soon after Rockstar's takeover.
Granted, none of this is probably relevant to today's situation, but I just thought I'd provide some historical background.
As long as people like Tim don't resort to insults and insinuations, the community is better off letting them speak silly when they feel like it. The most frustrating thing about any kind of innovation is that it usually sounds completely crazy until it becomes completely obvious. The last thing you want is discourage people from sharing their potentially innovative ideas because someone in the community might brand them as idiots.
Granted, there's nothing particularly constructive about "first comments", but if you allow those, then any attempt on constructive thought made by someone like you or me is okay by default, even if flawed (or just "not obvious enough", that is - "crazy"). And that's a good thing, because we can only learn from each other as long as we keep talking.
jacek: what? 'first' commentors are useless wastes of space that should have their accounts revoked. i think freedom of speech can handle admins enforcing a little professionalism and deleting idiotic 'first' comments.
First of all, and I know I'm going to get some kind of heat for this for sure to a certain degree, but if you think you can have a family, get a house, etc. in the gaming business, you might wanta think twice.
Working at anything involving computer graphics is a hard life!
I have worked in CG for about 15 years now and I'm only now getting to the point of making a living at it at the style that some shools boast about, and first of all, I'm not working at gaming exclusively. It sad to say but most of the money these days are in duller boring projects that nobody else wants to do and sometimes involves working out in places that nobody wants to live in and requires something that not all people can get (a security clearance from the DOD) or something else. Life can be a Pit!
If you plan to work in anything entertainment, be prepared to get crazy hours, bad pay, and frayed nerves! In other words Be like a burger turning Slave!
When I did work for the gaming industry, I was surprised at what I did get in pay at first (it was nice), but when the company had money problems later on, I was reminded of reality. In my case, I faced it fully aware and face forward, expecting what I got! I took what I got because I figured that I was working and more importantly, I was learning! Anyone that has half a common since in graphics programming or art knows what I mean and if you don't, you have lost the point of it!
Pardon the pun, but there is no Rock Star glory here! Sorry! :( Get a Grip!
Yea, I could complained about the money that Should have gotten at the time (I lost half my pay), the benefits that I should have had (I lost my medical and I had to cover my own SS becouse I became a 1099), and to make matters worse, I had just closed on a mortgage on a new home when it all happened, but I managed to make it through because when it comes to the end of it, I realized that I I'm my own industry! I've learned that in the right job (where your not just a place-holder) that it's up to me to get it right and it just is not handed to you, you sometimes have to make it happen - even if you don't get any credit for it. Oh Yes, I still have the house and the mortgage, but now a much better Job - one that I made for myself!
FYI: if you find out that your job is a place-holder job, get another job - Quick!!
Yea, It all can be a pile of Sh*t at times!
As for me, I’m doing good for the moment, but I can be one failure away to going back into that pile again (bereave me), but I have no room for regrets or fears. I keep marching on, doing what I'm best at doing (my 3D Computer graphics stuff) and hope that I can keep up and still have some fun at it. Note that: I have fallen in the pit twice in my 15 years experience, but I came back stronger than before! There is something to be said about "no place to go but UP".
FYI: As for my experience in the gaming industry I look back at it as one of the best experinces I have ever had, despite the pay and all! I had worked with one of the best Producers, owners, artists, programmers, etc that I could have ever worked for. Thay just wern't good at money at the time - I'm sure they have lerned more about handing that in time! Grin!
My advice respectively to anyone that hates his/her job (even in these bad times) is that you learn to love what your doing or be motivated to get a career change - it's never to late. And if your ever going to work in gaming, don't take on anything that your not willing to do for free and at least learn from it!
Also understand, I'm not trying to defend Rock Star Games. If they did anything wrong I'm sure that they will reap what they sew in time. California has (or had) one of the strictest labor laws in the country - they know that, I'm sure! I'm just depicting the reality as I see it from my experince!
Well, enough of my missspelled rantings here!
I leave you with this sage:
If you believe in yourself (your industry), people will start believing in you!
Life is like a bologna sandwich! The less bologna you get, the more bread you get - Believe me that is very true!
Good Luck to you all!
Dave Glenn - Artisan Practitioner of 3D Computer Graphics Systems & Digital Media Developer.
I relate this comment to the equivalent of the Nike situation...no one says that Nike shoes aren't great but it doesn't mean that they "weren't" using sweat shops.
This is exactly the same. No matter how you spin it Rockstar are running sweatshops to power their billion dollar industry. It's unethical and should be illegal. Full stop. There is no other way that this situation can be interpreted.
OFF-THE-CLOCK AND UNPAID OVERTIME CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST ROCKSTAR AND TAKE-TWO INTERACTIVE SOFTWARE, INC.
Dear Former & Current Rockstar Employees:
Our firm has been actively investigating the possibility of filing a Class Action Lawsuit against Rockstar and Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (and related subsidiaries) for unpaid wages, including overtime. Please give us a call to discuss the possibility of being named as a representative in the Class Action. Thanks.
Unless they fired all the people who complained about them recently then this is deliberately attempting to mislead.
I also find it hard the believe that a tight-knit team made up of 900 people could actually exist.
For me, having worked in the game industry on and off for a few years now, the "few anonymous posters on message boards" very accurately described a situation that appears to be the norm in many studios around the world.
Hey, you shouldn't change a winning formula.
If this is their attitude about what is practically confirmed in every case, I would not be coming in to work tomorrow if I worked for them.
As for the commenters on Rockstar's site, it's good to see that their loyal fans are concerned about the welfare of the people making their favorite games, instead of things like PC support, Bully on PS3, and a lack of good cheats.
oh, so many emotions stemming from reading such a simple sentence...
It becoming obvious that things are not as they should be at RockStar and certainly not the way they were 10 years ago when GTA3 was coming out.
What's sad is that response. We don't care about the game we care about the people making the game. This industry is still basically in it's infancy which leads to why there are so many "immature" game company's that end up mistreating their employee's... Which is true for Rockstar as well as other company's.
This response is completely in line with what I've been told about Rockstar management.
No, seriously, Rockstar is not alone in having spouses angry at how much crunch time is required to finish a game. It's obvious in their response that they are protecting themselves from being sued as a result of these comments. But creativity suffers in a bad work environment so, yes, fans should be worried!
This is a wake up call for our industry, and I hope we will see more of this letters about abusive companies and their practices. It would also be nice if game magazines and websites wouldn't review or talk about games from a specific company if the alegations about them are _proved_ true.
*Crack Whip*
"Row faster!"
@McLaren I agree, they can't put themselves in a negative spotlight, but as with the Domino commercials I've been seeing with customer responses of it taste like cardboard. Domino is using the commercials to show they are making changes and what to succeed and be better.
If I can't see progress in even a AAA producing company like Rockstar, then I just can't support them anymore. GTA 4 was the only game I bought from them (with the first DLC), but I don't I'll get the second DLC when I can rent it for free. Or buy used....
Gamers who are fans of a company like Bungie, BioWare, Rocksteady, etc. They enjoy the games and they WANT the developers to enjoy making them. They want the people that worked hard for them to be treated well. I've never heard the opposite from a gamer.
R* needs to work with the tight knit 900 member team and come up with resolutions. The word will get back out that improvement is being made. This shouldn't be a PR move, it should be a "do what's right" move.
Of course, the issue is that R* management doesn't seem to care about what's right.
"Well, yes, but..."
"What are we paying them for? This is their time to shine! Get them out there and get them INSULTING! And get me the latest report from our spies at Blizzard...I must have their secrets! Is it voodoo? Mind control? I must know!"
*evil, scary lightning flashes*
Meanwhile, at R* headquarters...
In retrospect, I was lucky.
From what I heard at the time, a lot of the old-time Angel Studios employees, who had planned to work there for life, left soon after Rockstar's takeover.
Granted, none of this is probably relevant to today's situation, but I just thought I'd provide some historical background.
Granted, there's nothing particularly constructive about "first comments", but if you allow those, then any attempt on constructive thought made by someone like you or me is okay by default, even if flawed (or just "not obvious enough", that is - "crazy"). And that's a good thing, because we can only learn from each other as long as we keep talking.
First of all, and I know I'm going to get some kind of heat for this for sure to a certain degree, but if you think you can have a family, get a house, etc. in the gaming business, you might wanta think twice.
Working at anything involving computer graphics is a hard life!
I have worked in CG for about 15 years now and I'm only now getting to the point of making a living at it at the style that some shools boast about, and first of all, I'm not working at gaming exclusively. It sad to say but most of the money these days are in duller boring projects that nobody else wants to do and sometimes involves working out in places that nobody wants to live in and requires something that not all people can get (a security clearance from the DOD) or something else. Life can be a Pit!
If you plan to work in anything entertainment, be prepared to get crazy hours, bad pay, and frayed nerves! In other words Be like a burger turning Slave!
When I did work for the gaming industry, I was surprised at what I did get in pay at first (it was nice), but when the company had money problems later on, I was reminded of reality. In my case, I faced it fully aware and face forward, expecting what I got! I took what I got because I figured that I was working and more importantly, I was learning! Anyone that has half a common since in graphics programming or art knows what I mean and if you don't, you have lost the point of it!
Pardon the pun, but there is no Rock Star glory here! Sorry! :( Get a Grip!
Yea, I could complained about the money that Should have gotten at the time (I lost half my pay), the benefits that I should have had (I lost my medical and I had to cover my own SS becouse I became a 1099), and to make matters worse, I had just closed on a mortgage on a new home when it all happened, but I managed to make it through because when it comes to the end of it, I realized that I I'm my own industry! I've learned that in the right job (where your not just a place-holder) that it's up to me to get it right and it just is not handed to you, you sometimes have to make it happen - even if you don't get any credit for it. Oh Yes, I still have the house and the mortgage, but now a much better Job - one that I made for myself!
FYI: if you find out that your job is a place-holder job, get another job - Quick!!
Yea, It all can be a pile of Sh*t at times!
As for me, I’m doing good for the moment, but I can be one failure away to going back into that pile again (bereave me), but I have no room for regrets or fears. I keep marching on, doing what I'm best at doing (my 3D Computer graphics stuff) and hope that I can keep up and still have some fun at it. Note that: I have fallen in the pit twice in my 15 years experience, but I came back stronger than before! There is something to be said about "no place to go but UP".
FYI: As for my experience in the gaming industry I look back at it as one of the best experinces I have ever had, despite the pay and all! I had worked with one of the best Producers, owners, artists, programmers, etc that I could have ever worked for. Thay just wern't good at money at the time - I'm sure they have lerned more about handing that in time! Grin!
My advice respectively to anyone that hates his/her job (even in these bad times) is that you learn to love what your doing or be motivated to get a career change - it's never to late. And if your ever going to work in gaming, don't take on anything that your not willing to do for free and at least learn from it!
Also understand, I'm not trying to defend Rock Star Games. If they did anything wrong I'm sure that they will reap what they sew in time. California has (or had) one of the strictest labor laws in the country - they know that, I'm sure! I'm just depicting the reality as I see it from my experince!
Well, enough of my missspelled rantings here!
I leave you with this sage:
If you believe in yourself (your industry), people will start believing in you!
Life is like a bologna sandwich! The less bologna you get, the more bread you get - Believe me that is very true!
Good Luck to you all!
Dave Glenn - Artisan Practitioner of 3D Computer Graphics Systems & Digital Media Developer.
at
D Glenn - Computer Graphics Systems Unlimited!
This is exactly the same. No matter how you spin it Rockstar are running sweatshops to power their billion dollar industry. It's unethical and should be illegal. Full stop. There is no other way that this situation can be interpreted.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweatshops#Pro-sweatshop_arguments
Dear Former & Current Rockstar Employees:
Our firm has been actively investigating the possibility of filing a Class Action Lawsuit against Rockstar and Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (and related subsidiaries) for unpaid wages, including overtime. Please give us a call to discuss the possibility of being named as a representative in the Class Action. Thanks.
Edwin Aiwazian, Esq.
THE AIWAZIAN LAW FIRM
(818) 265-1020
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