Unfortunately, the downsides outweigh the positives and often work to the employee's detriment.
There is a low cultural standard among some colleagues, including frequent unprofessional behavior such as swearing during company-wide meetings, immature jokes, and a general absence of respectful communication. Corporate culture is lacking, and management often shows little regard for maintaining a professional tone, even in internal chats. It’s not uncommon to be contacted during sick leave or see inappropriate jokes and memes (often sexual or offensive) in work-related spaces. Gossip about colleagues or even their families happens behind their backs, often in informal settings. For women, there may be unwanted attention from male colleagues, and female staff (including HR) have been known to speak negatively behind others’ backs. The atmosphere in the studio has been compared to a “Game of Thrones” dynamic, which may lead to emotional distress or a personal decision to leave. Inappropriate messages from colleagues, including unsolicited intimate suggestions, have also occurred — something potential employees should be mentally prepared for.
Project managers tend to overlook employee requests, and most issues — whether related to production, organizational structure, software or hardware problems — are ignored by both mid-level and upper management. The IT department, rather than facilitating smooth work processes, can create additional obstacles. Some in senior IT roles exhibit an authoritarian attitude, with support requests going unanswered for weeks or dismissed altogether.
Studio processes are either poorly established or entirely absent. Many procedures are bureaucratic and inefficient, often created by people with no prior game development experience. It can take an unreasonable amount of effort to accomplish relatively simple project-related tasks. There is a lack of onboarding structure, clear role definitions, or accessible internal documentation, which makes it difficult for newcomers to adapt. Thankfully, some non-management colleagues are willing to help and explain things — and their dedication to the craft is commendable.
The HR team appears disconnected and unresponsive. Their scope of responsibility is unclear, and employee concerns are often met with indifference. Responses are typically limited to: “HR can’t solve this” or “The studio is working on it,” even for issues that could be resolved within a week. In reality, they may drag on for months or never be addressed at all. Anonymous feedback forms are not truly anonymous and may be shared across departments, raising concerns about privacy and professionalism.
Top management sometimes disparages other companies, undermines or dismisses employees' experience, and insists on their own decisions without consulting experts. This creates a sense of distrust and discouragement. There is a culture of maximizing output from employees while disregarding their insights, even if the proposed actions are harmful to the project or the team. Work that you've spent weeks or months on may be discarded based on the subjective opinion of someone close to upper management.
Planning is disorganized and often feels careless or uninformed. Decisions are made by individuals lacking relevant experience, without involving the specialists who should be consulted. Favoritism is present, with an inner circle holding disproportionate influence over all processes. Key information is not communicated transparently, and important decisions are made hastily by a top management team that often appears out of touch.
