Earlier this week, an interview with Rockstar co-founder Sam Houser sent shockwaves through the industry, as he appeared to suggest that the studio had been working 100 hour weeks in order to get Red Dead Redemption 2 out of the door. This, he later clarified, was not entirely the case: only the senior writing team (including himself) worked such an intense schedule.
In an unprecedented move, the firm has now allowed staff to comment publicly on social media about the issue. Vivianne Langdon, a tools programmer at Rockstar San Diego, was one of the first to rally around the organisation – but she’s since been followed by a slew of other staff members, all defending the culture at the embattled label.
“I want to stress that this is my uncurated personal opinion; I am not being compensated for this post in any way and am making it voluntarily,” she started. “I'm only going to speak to my personal experience. I have never worked more than maybe 50 hours a week (and that's a rare occurrence), but I generally work about 2-6 hours of paid overtime per week.”
A lot of the employees seem frustrated that the company’s name is being unfairly tarnished. Rockstar North’s environment artist Wesley Mackinder said: “This week my Twitter timeline has been full of guff. I've been at Rockstar for six years and I have never worked, or been asked to work, anywhere remotely close to 100 hours in a week.”
He continued: “It's been surreal to see people share their crunch stories with the conclusion being, 'Rockstar needs to change'. When I've just been reading them thinking, ‘I'm so glad I work at Rockstar and haven't done anything they have.’ No one is pretending that working extra hours is fun. Everyone tries their very hardest to avoid this. And in my experience it has gotten better over time.”
Zoë Sams, a tools programmer at Rockstar North, agreed: “It's difficult to see people, friends, and fellow devs spreading information that either isn't true, has now changed, or are telling people not to buy a product you've worked hard on and you love. I haven't worked a 100-hour week in my life. I'm thanked for any overtime I am asked to do.”
Meanwhile, an anonymous Rockstar employee reached out to VG247 airing their grievances at some of the speculation surrounding the organisation: “It’s been pretty frustrating seeing [the company] portrayed this week as a hellish place to work – it’s really not, we’re rewarded well, and crunch is never mandatory.”
Time to put the pitchforks down?
[source twitter.com, via twitter.com, twitter.com, vg247.com]
Comments 30
I guess they're all lying. Or being held at gunpoint.
@get2sammyb
Yep, waiting for the usual suspects to post and tell us all its a lie and these people had been threatened that they would lose there jobs.
But what else can I be mad about today?
@get2sammyb
It's no use. People set their mind and will only hear what they want to hear.
On a side note I saw a tweet from the guy from Kotaku. Jason something, he s asking for R employee the reach out and tell their bad experience. It sounds a bit like the Mirror Fortnite affair when they ask for juicy story.
@JJ2
Any luck they will reach on and tell him.to get a life and everthings fine,of course there paranoia won't let them and they will think.they have been threatened in someway.
@get2sammyb Good working conditions don't get views in Youtube
Nice PR stunt.
Might sound a bit callous but ultimately this is none of my business really so I don't have much of an opinion on it. Obviously working excessively long hours isn't healthy for anyone regardless of the job so I understand why some are concerned about game-making culture at the moment.
Jason Schreier of Kotaku says he's putting together a report from anonymous Rockstar employees, so I guess it'll be interesting to hear that take too.
Preorder uncancelled?
@roe Yeah, jason report is the one I trust.
Some people will find absolutely anything to get riled up over, won't they?
this is why social media will never reach it's full potential of bringing people together.
to many biased internet warriors and media outlets that always blame others for the clicks and internet points.
I think the problem is from both sides people jumping on Rockstar straight away and people jumping to defend Rockstar because they make games they like. I think the truth is somewhere in the middle. Bear in mind LA noire caused a lot of controversy with the way the staff were treated. I know a couple people in the industry and seems a very unstable industry you can lose your job at a moments notice like Telltale.
Why don't people just shut their mouth? It's a wonderful thing to do! I'd never say in public that I like to draw penis on the bald head of an old man in front of me in the queue and then complain about people complaining about my strange pastime...
This is why no one should be interviewing on anything, ever. Everything gets dissected, twisted, and blown out of proportion. All for the sake of views and clicks.
While people shouldn’t jump the gun, I think it’s better to look at something like this with an eye of skepticism than not to. There any many injustices in the world, and it’s better or be cautious than not (witch hunts that happen often today with no proof is not what I mean).
Oh great, now what's supposed to flip my trigger and cause outrage from the depths of my bowels?
@RedMageLanakyn is it better to keep the truth secret and hidden behind closed doors? how does that benefit anyone or spur change within the industry? are you actually saying your entire impression of rockstar has gone from abysmal to 10/10 simply because a couple people conveniently spoke in favour of the company's practices?
@bindiana
Its always the same issue. People understand what they see as a group attacking vs a group defending without realising how ridiculous that sounds.
The real issue is nobody owns the truth. It is was it is. What is debatable is the way it is reported. If you think about it for a minute you'll realise that's where the debate should be.
We come from one statement taken completely out of context and some outlets add old reports or testimony from employees working there ten years ago.
Where is the outrage coming from would you say? The fact is the outrage comes from a single short phrase taken out of context from a quite long interview. There's no side to take. Only wait and question the information. A bit like some bad copy of movie that you'd better wait for a watchable copy.
@Porco People just shouldn't be answering questions or doing interviews without guidance/approval, they say things that get misconstrued for the sake of drama. I said nothing about rockstar specifically or keeping things secret, please stop jumping to conclusions like the people on the internet that caused this issue did in the first place.
@JJ2 I agree there should be a debate I am not saying one side is right or not. My problem is making comments like its the internet over-reacting again or sentiments like that are just as bad as the the people immediately calling for pitchforks as it just produces 2 extremes. Just because a few employees have said its not as bad as what is made out to be does not exonerate Rockstar.
Just because its not bad for them or there department doesn't mean its not bad for other employees and other departments. It probably is an over reaction to a line in an interview but in my opinion Rockstar have handled it terribly all round. With previous controversies on the same subject it was monumentally naive of Houser to utter the words "100 hour week". The free twitter speech move again hasn't been well thought out as what sane person will say negative things about there employer on social media if they want to keep there job.
@JJ2 Jason is also telling he is working non stop on that story since the comments of H were released. That means Kotaku holding him on gunpoint and forcing to work crunch even more then 100 hours a week. It's from Jason's words.
@bindiana
I disagree may I ask a question?
Were you the guy doing the interview, would you just print that phrase as is or, would you ask some clarification as who 'we' are and what he means? Do you realise there are hundreds of employees. Are you really suggesting he meant RockStar as a whole or, don't you think the context of the interview meant he was talking of the dialogues and such and a more personal involvement rather the employees? The journalist should have asked clarification in the first place, and so should have the media which reported this and jumping the gun.
It was certainly bad pr if you take it from a pr point of view. It's was probably a genuine answer to the journalists question if you take it as an interview.
Thing is you have this 'phrase' taken out of proportion and the media digging what they can to inflate it. I'm sure there r some bad practice at R just like in many studios. This instance though is just wrong as used like fake news to try and dig out whatever hey can
Edit.
Coming back to your comment about some people saying it's the Internet overreacting. Err if you follow my thought you must realise I m positive it is the internet overreacting indeed.
@JJ2 I did not conduct the interview and I have not said how I have interpreted his words all I will say his words and and his statement after date can be read in different ways and there is no clear cut answer. My point being instead of shouting fake news or burn them surely some more research should be done. Can I ask you a question do you feel comments along the lines of “oh internet” are respectful to such an important issue. This is a well known problem throughout the industry people have had relationships end and had ill health because of it. I feel it is a little insensitive to sprout phrases like “oh internet and fake news” I will leave it there as this could go round in circles with no winning just wishing there was some middle ground.
@bindiana
Man I see what your trying to say and there r real issues, possibly at R too. This news about R forcing employees to work 100hr w we see everywhere is.. Well its fake and based on a mere statement taken out of context. It is what it is
Maybe it is a psychological question.
Why do some individuals spend hours doing unpaid overtime to fix problems outside of their area of responsibility?
People don’t get paid to do overtime. “I am shocked” said no-one who has ever worked in their life. I don’t know anyone who has never worked unpaid overtime. If someone knows where the workplace that doesn’t expect free overtime is then let me know.
@Enigk
My workplace. I have to work my shift and then leave, and I never get overtime. Ever. Because if I did, they would have to pay me for overtime. Most places, like Arizona, have laws regarding overtime, it's the federal law. You MUST be paid for any hours you work over 40, at one and half times your wage.
Some union jobs require workplaces to pay double-time plus a dollar as well.
Where do you work that you are expected to work unpaid overtime? That's very strange to me.
@Constable_What Must be a UK thing? Where I work they aren’t replacing people who leave and when people are on holiday you have to make up their time plus we’re still using systems from the turn of the century.
@Enigk
Oh man... That's a damn shame; I had no idea. Makes me think.
Im buying the game regardless.
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