The infinite cycle of workers being wronged by Interchangeable Video Game Corporation seems intent on proving that time is indeed a flat circle.
Rockstar is the latest juggernaut to face allegations of treating people like disposable automatons after it purportedly fired over 30 staffers in the UK for engaging in trade union activity. The company’s defence? Its former employees actually leaked information and that amounted to “gross misconduct.”
The union representatives at IWGB beg to differ, and this week staged multiple protests outside Take-Two Interactive and Rockstar offices in London and Edinburgh, respectively. Attendees brought some pretty damning signage to the picket line, which was laden with zingers like ‘Grand Theft Employment!!,’ ‘The Pinkertons Salute You!,’ and ‘Union Busted?’
IWGB is demanding that all employees caught up in the ousting are immediately reinstated and is exploring possible legal action. We have more on that developing story below, but what about a few reasons to be cheerful?
Well, this week provided another indie success story after Dispatch developer AdHoc confirmed the title sold over 1 million copies. An episodic video game doing the business in the year 2025? You love to see it.
My local football (soccer) team also continues to punch well above its weight. The mighty Preston North End overcame Swansea during a midweek clash to maintain their surprising playoff push (we nearly got relegated last season) thanks to a delectible Jacob’s Cream Cracker of a strike from summer signing Thierry Small. Make sure he’s on your radar, Football Manager players.
Related:Kim Swift, former Portal lead developer, joins NEARstudios as COO
Admittedly, that’s a reason for ME to be cheerful, but I thought the soccer (football) fans among you would appreciate the update. Up the Lilywhites!
Rockstar accused of firing over 30 union members in ‘calculated attack on workers’
via Game Developer // In what was perhaps the biggest story this week, Grand Theft Auto maker Rockstar was accused of committing the “‘most blatant and ruthless act of union busting in the history of the games industry.” According to UK union IWGB, the company fired over 30 people for engaging in union activity. Rockstar parent company Take-Two denied the allegation and said its former employee were ousted for “gross misconduct.”
Rockstar accused of deflecting after claiming fired union workers leaked information
via Game Developer // Here’s your chaser for that shot. A few days after the allegations against Rockstar were made public, the studio told Bloomberg it had actually fired a bunch of unionized employees for “distributing and discussing confidential information in a public forum.” A spokesperson for the IWGB union subsequently informed Game Developer its members had a statutory right in the UK to engage in private conversation with union organizers that supersedes any employment contract. It also said the fired workers hadn’t discussed any Rockstar products or titles during those conversations. Food for thought.
Related:Megabonk dev withdraws from The Game Awards over ‘unqualified’ nomination
Square Enix says it wants generative AI to be doing 70% of its QA and debugging by the end of 2027
via VGC // Final Fantasy maker Square Enix has partnered with Matsuo-Iwasawa Laboratory at the University of Tokyo to improve the “efficiency of game development processes” by leveraging AI. The Japanese company reckons it’ll be possible to offload the majority of QA and debugging work to generative AI tools within the next two years. Quantity and quality? I’m not entirely convinced.
EA says it will retain “creative control,” should it sell to Saudi-backed consortium
via Game File // Were you at all worried about the impact EA’s impending take-private at the hands of backers like the Saudi sovereign wealth fund and Jared Kushner’s investment firm might have on the publisher’s creative output? Well, fear not, because EA has reassured employees that the $55 billion deal won’t require it to sacrifice its soul. At least, not all of it. In an updated FAQ shared with workers (made available via an SEC filing) the company said it will “maintain creative control, and our track record of creative freedom and player-first values will remain intact” under its prospective new owners. Glad that’s sorted.
Related:GDC survey indicates over half of U.S. game workers want to join a union
Dispatch has sold 1 million copies in under two weeks
via Game Developer // An episodic game is the talk of the town and Rockstar is (allegedly) mistreating workers. Did someone invent time travel? Putting the sass to one side, Dispatch recently proved there is still life in the episodic formula after selling over 1 million copies in 10 days. The superhero comedy, developed by AdHoc (which employs a few Telltale veterans) features stellar voice talent and has evidently struck a chord with players. More to come?
Olympic committee scraps 12-year Saudi esports partnership after one year
via IOC // What a difference a year makes. In July 2024, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced it has signed a 12-year partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to host regular Olympic Esports Games, beginning in 2025. After delaying the inaugural event until 2027, the IOC confirmed it has now parted ways with organizers in Saudi Arabia. It’s unclear why, but the IOC said the decision was “mutual.” I wonder whether it had anything to do with the Saudi regime’s human rights record, which according to multiple advocacy groups is nothing short of abysmal.
Nintendo Planning ‘Consistent Release Cadence’ For More Video Game Movies, Following Super Mario Galaxy and The Legend of Zelda Films
via IGN // Would you believe it? After The Super Mario Bros. Movie raked in over $1.35 billion at the global box office, Nintendo wants to keep on milking the cash cow that has become Moo Moo Meadows’ pride and joy. A Legend of Zelda live-action flick is in the works alongside sorta-sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and now Nintendo has told investors it wants to create a framework that will facilitate a “consistent release cadence” of would-be blockbusters. Chris Pratt will be off his nut.
Nintendo upgrades hardware forecast after Switch 2 tops 10 million sales
via Game Developer // The Switch 2 doesn’t know the meaning of the phrase ‘sophomore slump.’ Mainly because it’s an inanimate slab of technology devoid of consciousness, but also because it stormed out of the gate to sell over 10.3 million units in less than four months. For context, that means the long-awaited Switch successor has almost match the lifetime sales of the ill-fated Wii U, which sold 13.56 million units in around four-and-a-half years.