indiegames
January 9th, 2010, 01:20
http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/2010/01/custom_1262999128240_rsd340.jpgAn anonymous blogger filing under the heading "Rockstar Spouse (http://kotaku.com/tag/rockstarspouse/)" has penned a letter of complaint about working conditions at Red Dead Redemption development studio Rockstar San Diego (http://kotaku.com/tag/rockstarsandiego/).
The lengthy posting (http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/RockstarSpouse/20100107/4032/Wives_of_Rockstar_San_Diego_employees_have_collect ed_themselves.php) appeared yesterday on a user blog on the game development site Gamasutra and was signed by "Determined Devoted Wives of Rockstar San Diego employees." The post claims that since March 2009, San Diego employees have suffered "degradation" that "extends to their quality of life and their family members" in the form of mandatory 12-hour days six days a week, have had pay cut and vacation limited. The post alleges that this extended crunch-time stress has affected the health of some employees. The "wives" blame management and a Rockstar "thirst for power," urging changes in the working conditions at the San Diego studio: "If these working conditions stay unchanged in the upcoming weeks, preparation will be made to take legal action against Rockstar San Diego."
Rockstar Games did not respond to requests from Kotaku for comment about the letter or any actions the company might take because of it.
While the charges of an anonymous blogger — and the sentiments echoed below the post by anonymous commenters allegedly familiar with the workings of the studio — must be met with skepticism, the letter was clearly designed to evoke memories of 2004's "EA Spouse (http://kotaku.com/tag/easpouse/)." Six years ago, Erin Hoffman, writing anonymously as "EA Spouse" complained of unfair working conditions at Electronic Arts. Her complaints about the long hours and stressful lives of EA developers gained industry-wide attention and was the topic of several stories (http://kotaku.com/tag/easpouse/) that appeared on Kotaku. But by 2006 EA appeared to change its ways and Hoffman was praising the happiness of people who worked for the company.
The charges levied in the "Rockstar Spouse" post are unproven. We'll continue following this story as the veracity of the complaints — or lack thereof — comes more clearly to light.
Wives of Rockstar San Diego Employees Have Collected Themselves (http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/RockstarSpouse/20100107/4032/Wives_of_Rockstar_San_Diego_employees_have_collect ed_themselves.php) [Gamasutra "Rockstar Spouse" user blog]
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More... (http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/kotaku/full/~3/JKmpFH5M4Us/alleged-unfair-work-conditions-at-rockstar-san-diego)
The lengthy posting (http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/RockstarSpouse/20100107/4032/Wives_of_Rockstar_San_Diego_employees_have_collect ed_themselves.php) appeared yesterday on a user blog on the game development site Gamasutra and was signed by "Determined Devoted Wives of Rockstar San Diego employees." The post claims that since March 2009, San Diego employees have suffered "degradation" that "extends to their quality of life and their family members" in the form of mandatory 12-hour days six days a week, have had pay cut and vacation limited. The post alleges that this extended crunch-time stress has affected the health of some employees. The "wives" blame management and a Rockstar "thirst for power," urging changes in the working conditions at the San Diego studio: "If these working conditions stay unchanged in the upcoming weeks, preparation will be made to take legal action against Rockstar San Diego."
Rockstar Games did not respond to requests from Kotaku for comment about the letter or any actions the company might take because of it.
While the charges of an anonymous blogger — and the sentiments echoed below the post by anonymous commenters allegedly familiar with the workings of the studio — must be met with skepticism, the letter was clearly designed to evoke memories of 2004's "EA Spouse (http://kotaku.com/tag/easpouse/)." Six years ago, Erin Hoffman, writing anonymously as "EA Spouse" complained of unfair working conditions at Electronic Arts. Her complaints about the long hours and stressful lives of EA developers gained industry-wide attention and was the topic of several stories (http://kotaku.com/tag/easpouse/) that appeared on Kotaku. But by 2006 EA appeared to change its ways and Hoffman was praising the happiness of people who worked for the company.
The charges levied in the "Rockstar Spouse" post are unproven. We'll continue following this story as the veracity of the complaints — or lack thereof — comes more clearly to light.
Wives of Rockstar San Diego Employees Have Collected Themselves (http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/RockstarSpouse/20100107/4032/Wives_of_Rockstar_San_Diego_employees_have_collect ed_themselves.php) [Gamasutra "Rockstar Spouse" user blog]
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More... (http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/kotaku/full/~3/JKmpFH5M4Us/alleged-unfair-work-conditions-at-rockstar-san-diego)