14 DAY TRIAL // Last week, on Gamasutra's blog section, we saw the possible beginning of another “EA Spouse” scenario, as, this time around, an anonymous letter was posted coming from Rockstar Spouse. The blog post described deteriorating working conditions at the developer's offices as it rushed to get Dead Red Redemption ready for its deadline.
According to the post, in order to meet its deadline, the company has been pushing its employees close to their breaking point, with some already showing health problems. There were plenty of comments from users on the message and most of them confirmed the situation, enough so that even the Independent Game Developers Association (IGDA) got involved with the case, and offered its help in mediating any possible problems.
An official word from Rockstar San Diego, the studio that works on Dead Red Redemption and that faces the accusations, hasn't come yet, but, apparently, there is an internal e-mail that has been running around inside the company. The mail has reached our reading-eyes via Kotaku, and, should we give it credit, then it would seem that, if working issues do exist at Rockstar SD, that means that we're not the only ones who have just found out about it.
The e-mail reads that, “We do not agree with the allegations in the Gamasutra post (e.g. there has been no reduction in health benefits or ancillary benefits and perks (such as free dinners and massages, etc.), wage increases across the studio have kept track with cost of living increases, and anyone who feels they have been overlooked for a bonus for a game they worked on please contact HR to discuss as soon as possible).”
It further adds that, if some employees do believe that they have been wronged, they should inform the human resources department, and even encourages and directs them towards the general HR department at Take-Two if they feel uncomfortable talking about the issues in-house. Aside from the company's overwhelming concern for its employees, the e-mail also takes the time to inform them that Dead Red Redemption is going to be a “stellar” game, an unmissed chance to advertise it, making it look like this was meant to be “leaked” outside of offices and to the public.