Life is Strange: True Colors and before the storm Deck Nine Games Studio is a massive theme IGN According to a report, current and former employees claim the studio is a toxic workplace, with studio-supported overtime and leaders who only make things worse.
According to reports, the publisher of Square Enix Life is strange: true colors, the hands-on approach to the script was incredible.Multiple sources say Square doesn’t want life is strange Considered a “gay game”, although each entry contains queer characters and optional queer relationships.
“There was a lot of media praise true colors Narrative Designer Mallory Littleton said: IGN. “Even in Square Enix’s press guide, all the way to [review copies were out], we don’t talk about Alex’s sexuality at all. And then they made the preprint and all these comments were saying how amazing it was to finally see an explicitly bisexual protagonist, and after that, Square was like, just kidding, Alex is absolutely, canonically, 100% bisexual. “
Deck Nine employees claim it’s a toxic workplace
although life is strangeDespite Deck Nine’s reputation as an inclusive franchise, its employees reportedly faced sexual harassment, bullying and transphobia, and management failed to address the issues for “months”. IGN Report. Multiple sources reported that a senior programmer made sexist remarks and crude “jokes” with racial and sexual connotations. The person was reportedly fired from Deck Nine following the incident in which he screamed at a human resources representative, the report states.
every woman IGN Respondents had at least one story of harassment within the company.
Narrative director and eventual company CCO Zak Garriss reportedly became the center point of conflict within the studio. Sources said Garris had engaged in inappropriate relationships with women at the company, called the Black Lives Matter movement a “hate movement” and had said team members were obsessed with “political ideology” before demanding that everyone in attendance Employees list their political affiliations as well as other accusations.
Garris responds IGNrequests for comment, refutes and/or denies many of the allegations and clarifies others. He told the media that he had “mentored” women on Deck Nine, but also mentored men. “Never in my entire career have I worked with a writer who was as creatively inflexible, hostile to difference, or less willing to listen or compromise than a few in this group,” he said.
Garris also told IGN He had no recollection of his alleged comments about the Black Lives Matter movement and “made every effort to address the discussion” surrounding the removal of trans characters from the plantrue colors “Lots of kindness and care.” He said:
“If you want a clear understanding of Deck Nine’s (the studio and its leadership, including myself) perspective, look at the content the team creates to reflect the team’s intentions and beliefs. No game is perfect, and no production is Easy. before the storm and true colors very difficult. But in the making of these games, the sincerity of working tirelessly over the years has prevailed, and I’m proud of what the team has produced, grateful for the opportunity to be a part of it, and honored to touch our lives with our content . Create; Please don’t let the biased views of a few people blind you to the overall truth. “
IGN Garris reportedly quit Deck Nine after implementing an anonymous review tool, which sources said allowed more people within the studio to feel comfortable expressing their concerns to him.
With Garris leaving, IGNSources say morale has improved around Deck Nine.But in late 2022, developers reportedly discovered racist memes and Nazi imagery in a product they were developing life is strange title. This includes a reference to the number 88, which is often used as a code for nazi ideology.
In August 2023, months after their initial findings, CEO Mark Lyons reportedly announced that the company would institute an anti-hate speech policy, create mandatory training courses on hate speech, and impose Codify a process for investigating any further suspected instances of hate speech. Lyons also announced it would further investigate the matter and hired a Denver-based investigative law group as an outside source of help. IGN According to the report, as of press time, employees have not received further information about the investigation, and the anti-hate speech policy that was allegedly promised has not been implemented.
Austerity and layoffs at Deck Nine
IGNThe report also claims that the studio was squeezed by Square Enix executives, resulting in working to tight deadlines and limited budgets. One source called Square Enix a “bully,” while another claimed that toxicity and pressure from the publisher eventually seeped into Deck Nine’s culture.The studio’s cultural issues were reportedly exacerbated by the company’s difficulties, including layoffs following the deal The Walking Dead and The wolf among us 2. IGNSources told the outlet that they believe Deck Nine’s decision-makers are “bad dealmakers” who don’t advocate for meeting the studio’s needs.
IGNIt’s about the next production life is strange Still, the game is progressing, but marginalized employees feel the need to rebuild trust between the team and its leaders.Statement from Deck Nine IGN said it remains “committed to championing diversity and telling the stories of historically underrepresented groups.” It also said that when allegations of employee misconduct are brought to its attention, it investigates them “as quickly and efficiently as possible.”
For more details on the situation on Deck Nine, check out IGNextensive reporting.