Pros
-Housemarque has a respected legacy and a history of delivering arcade games.
-Some of the remaining highly skilled individual contributors.
-Compensation and benefits are generally competitive within the Finnish market.
Cons
-Loss of experienced leadership and studio identity: Several directors and senior leaders left during production, creating a clear break in continuity. Following these departures, the studio no longer felt like the same organization, with reduced stability, weakened leadership credibility, and loss of shared direction.
-Culture of silence driven by fear of retaliation: Many employees avoid speaking openly about risks, concerns, or inappropriate behavior due to fear of being labeled “negative,” sidelined, or placed under formal scrutiny. This silence allows problems to persist rather than being addressed early.
-Tolerance of inappropriate behavior: There is a widespread internal concern regarding unprofessional and inappropriate conduct within leadership. The absence of transparent, decisive action created an environment where such behavior appeared tolerated, further discouraging employees from coming forward.
-Misaligned director roles and limited delivery experience: Several director-level positions appeared misaligned with their intended responsibilities. Rather than providing consistent strategic direction, production oversight, and people leadership, some directors were frequently involved in execution-level or ad-hoc tasks while core leadership duties remains unfulfilled.
-Perceived advancement through personal networks: There is a widespread internal perception that progression into senior leadership roles was influenced more by personal relationships and familiarity than by proven leadership capability or shipped results.
-Weak people management and proximity leadership: Management is often disconnected from day-to-day production realities. Expectations and success criteria shifted over time, while feedback is inconsistent, subjective, or delivered late.