Post by Regolyth on Oct 5, 2018 8:27:26 GMT -5
The Tragic End of Telltale Games
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Although I wasn't necessarily a fan of their games, even though I do own a few of The Walking Dead series, it sucks the way all of that went down. The company was pretty crappy in how they handled things. I can relate as I was laid off in a similar manner back in 2013 when my company essentially shut down from poor management, no foresight and micro-management (IMO). God's pulled me out of that situation and I'm in a much better place now, but being there with a baby on the way... it was devastating.
When employees showed up for work on Friday, September 21st, at Telltale Games, there was nothing to suggest the day would be different than any other. The second episode of The Walking Dead’s final season would ship the following week; developers across multiple teams were busy with plans for in-progress titles.
But only hours later, 250 people would find themselves with no job, no severance, and health insurance that would be gone by month’s end — just nine days.
But only hours later, 250 people would find themselves with no job, no severance, and health insurance that would be gone by month’s end — just nine days.
The woes of Telltale Games have deep roots. Earlier this year, The Verge published a report detailing years of nonstop crunch culture, toxic management, and frustration from developers who believed the company’s refusal to diversify gameplay had led to creative stagnation. After the company dismissed controversial co-founder and CEO Kevin Bruner in March 2017, former Zynga SVP and GM of games Pete Hawley stepped in as Telltale’s CEO in September. Then, in November 2017, 90 employees — roughly 25 percent of Telltale at that time — were laid off.
Although those employees were granted pay until the end of 2017 and given time to say their goodbyes, the hundreds impacted by the September 2018 layoffs were not so lucky. Former employees who spoke to The Verge say they were asked to leave the building within 30 minutes. Lack of severance meant that countless developers living paycheck-to-paycheck in the pricey Bay Area were left with no way to pay their rent. Many were devastated by the impending loss of health care for them and their families; employees on work visas may soon be forced to leave the country. In at least one instance, sources say that an employee had recently relocated cross-country to take a job at Telltale. Others had started as recently as that week.
Confusion abounds about the company’s messaging around its status, but as several former developers note, they were instructed to list their reason for unemployment as a company closure on official papers. One former employee is suing Telltale as part of a class-action lawsuit for allegedly violating labor laws. According to the lawsuit, the company is in violation of the WARN Act, which stipulates that employers must give advance written notice of at least 60 days before mass layoffs.
Following the layoffs, advocacy group Game Workers Unite released a statement in support of those who lost their jobs. “The executives at Telltale are incompetent,” it reads. “They are exploitative. They knew that this was coming and failed to warn anybody.”
Although those employees were granted pay until the end of 2017 and given time to say their goodbyes, the hundreds impacted by the September 2018 layoffs were not so lucky. Former employees who spoke to The Verge say they were asked to leave the building within 30 minutes. Lack of severance meant that countless developers living paycheck-to-paycheck in the pricey Bay Area were left with no way to pay their rent. Many were devastated by the impending loss of health care for them and their families; employees on work visas may soon be forced to leave the country. In at least one instance, sources say that an employee had recently relocated cross-country to take a job at Telltale. Others had started as recently as that week.
Confusion abounds about the company’s messaging around its status, but as several former developers note, they were instructed to list their reason for unemployment as a company closure on official papers. One former employee is suing Telltale as part of a class-action lawsuit for allegedly violating labor laws. According to the lawsuit, the company is in violation of the WARN Act, which stipulates that employers must give advance written notice of at least 60 days before mass layoffs.
Following the layoffs, advocacy group Game Workers Unite released a statement in support of those who lost their jobs. “The executives at Telltale are incompetent,” it reads. “They are exploitative. They knew that this was coming and failed to warn anybody.”
Although I wasn't necessarily a fan of their games, even though I do own a few of The Walking Dead series, it sucks the way all of that went down. The company was pretty crappy in how they handled things. I can relate as I was laid off in a similar manner back in 2013 when my company essentially shut down from poor management, no foresight and micro-management (IMO). God's pulled me out of that situation and I'm in a much better place now, but being there with a baby on the way... it was devastating.
