Support NeoGAF

[havoc00]

Following Insider Gaming’s exclusive report this weekend, it took all but 12 minutes for Executive Producer Mark Rubin — and another disingenuous tweet from Aches to shoot down the rumors that XDefiant’s delays aren’t related to chasing Call of Duty. Nevertheless, Rubin did confirm that the game has yet again been delayed, but its latest delay was because of “major technical issues” related to the game’s netcode, which is an issue that has been outlined since November 2023.

As previously mentioned, XDefiant has missed dozens of internal milestones and deadlines these past couple of years and although Rubin’s latest comments on XDefiant missing its latest release date due to the netcode are accurate, it’s not a simple case of a one-and-done issue that has plagued the game for years. As Insider Gaming has reported, XDefiant’s shortcomings stem from several executives and directors on the project. They are internally referred to as ‘The Boys Club’ by a large majority of the team.

Behind XDefiant's Toxic Work Culture, Crunch, and Years of Delays

Behind XDefiant's toxic work culture, crunch, delays, and a group of directors and managers internally referred to as 'The Boys Club'.

insider-gaming.com

 

[ByWatterson]

Crunch is good.

What? We were all thinking it.

 

[IFireflyl]

Remember when people said how easy it would be to just make a Call of Duty competitor?

I remember.

 

[havoc00]

Former developer speaks out about abuse

 

[Raven77]

 

[havoc00]

Ubisofts Cod killer

 

[MayauMiao]

Hard to buy her story especially since she aligns herself with Black Girl Gamers, which itself has issues.

 

[NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt]

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

All the red flags here:

"toxic culture"

"Boys club" LOL Yes, sure, ma'am.

"verbally abused": yes, in the mobile era, there is no recorded evidence of that. .

"The word N on a WHITEboard" (double sin here) Still, no recorded evidence of that. No pics, no nothing.

I'm surprised she didn't mention Donald Trump, though.

 

[kOsmikcoffee]

Crunch is good.

What? We were all thinking it.

You are correct.

 

[LordCBH]

Hard to buy her story especially since she aligns herself with Black Girl Gamers, which itself has issues.

Agreed

 

[LectureMaster]

Former developer speaks out about abuse

Checked this person's Twitter, couldn't make sentences without spewing those patriarchy, white supremacy shits.

To me it's just another hustler trying to make doughs over so claimed racism and toxicity.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

I believe (insert pronouns here) is telling a half-truth.

 

[ByWatterson]

Hard to buy her story especially since she aligns herself with Black Girl Gamers, which itself has issues.

Also, I think most of us are tired of hearing these kind of exposes.

I'm too old to have a cause, and if I weren't, it definitely wouldn't be cleaning up toxicity in gaming.

 

[Kacho]

Former developer speaks out about abuse

Yeah I’m sure that totally happened

 

[clarky]

Crunch is good.

What? We were all thinking it.

If only we could go back to the good old days of crunch when games took 3-4 years tops.

 

[ByWatterson]

If only we could go back to the good old days of crunch when games took 3-4 years tops.

 

[skyfall]

Former developer speaks out about abuse

This woman is unhinged and is having some kind of anti-white meltdown on twitter

Sounds like a movie villain

 

[Faust]

I smell bullshit.

Given the need these types of narcissists have for attention, I wouldn't put it past them if they either made it all up or actively wrote the offending language down on the board so they can blame people they don't like.

 

[Guilty_AI]

I don't think she's lying (though likely exagerating), but given her tweets i'm pretty sure she was just as much part of this "toxic work enviroment" as the ones she speaks ill of.

 

[MiguelItUp]

Crunch is good.

What? We were all thinking it.

The funny thing is people talk about crunch as if it's rare these days. It's not. A lot of studios still do it, and will continue to until they reorganize their entire workflow.

 

[nush]

All the red flags here:

"toxic culture"

"Boys club" LOL Yes, sure, ma'am.

"verbally abused": yes, in the mobile era, there is no recorded evidence of that. .

"The word N on a WHITEboard" (double sin here) Still, no recorded evidence of that. No pics, no nothing.

I'm surprised she didn't mention Donald Trump, though.

What her Resetera username?

 

[AJUMP23]

Former developer speaks out about abuse

I promise none of this ever happened to her.

 

[Guilty_AI]

I promise none of this ever happened to her.

I think they did happen but she's purposefully omitting the full picture. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of this "bullying" was a consequence of she herself acting like an asshole.

 

[Edmund]

I promise none of this ever happened to her.

It happened inside her head.

 

[Perrott]

Former developer speaks out about abuse

"The Boys Club"

 

[TransTrender]

Ubisofts Cod killer

Shit I thought this was the Chinese clone but that's CrossfireX...

 

[havoc00]

Shit I thought this was the Chinese clone but that's CrossfireX...

Hearing that name gives me ptsd

 

[Barakov]

THE DRAMA ™.

Former developer speaks out about abuse

 

[DAHGAMING]

Crunch is good.

What? We were all thinking it.

Crunch them lazy fuckers harder next time.

 

[March Climber]

Speaking from a business angle, I think eventually surveillance rules are going to have to change at these older, larger, established developer and publisher companies. There’s simply too much at stake in today’s world of inflated budgeting for someone to simply throw accusations out there about why a game is in development hell, thus stirring a pot and potentially killing hype or sales.

The increased surveillance would also dissuade the bad actors that seemingly keep popping up in these companies, as they are being part of the problem by potentially doing these reported actions.

It’s one of the few ways I see this ‘he said, she said, he did, she did’ side-taking stuff stopping in gaming. Evidence is one of the easier methods of achieving transparency.

I don’t care if it sounds like too much. These situations have to go away together(the actions and the accuser). Neither are helping business.

 

[havoc00]

Speaking from a business angle, I think eventually surveillance rules are going to have to change at these older, larger, established developer and publisher companies. There’s simply too much at stake in today’s world of inflated budgeting for someone to simply throw accusations out there about why a game is in development hell, thus stirring a pot and potentially killing hype or sales.

The increased surveillance would also dissuade the bad actors that seemingly keep popping up in these companies, as they are being part of the problem by potentially doing these reported actions.

It’s one of the few ways I see this ‘he said, she said, he did, she did’ side-taking stuff stopping in gaming. Evidence is one of the easier methods of achieving transparency.

I don’t care if it sounds like too much. These situations have to go away together(the actions and the accuser). Neither are helping business.

I agree something has to be done. What that is ? I don’t know.

 

[RickSanchez]

I smell bullshit.

Given the need these types of narcissists have for attention, I wouldn't put it past them if they either made it all up or actively wrote the offending language down on the board so they can blame people they don't like.

It's ok to not believe allegations from one person if they are not backed up by evidence, even though Ubisoft has a history of bad workplace culture.

But what i find far more surprising is GAF's hard-on for crunch culture. It's ok to work developers to death as long as you get your game early ? Imperialist mindset. Where is this coming from ? I'm sure everyone here would enjoy not having to work more than 5 days a week or more than 8 hours a day. Why not extend that same consideration to game developers ? They are human beings too, same as you and me.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

Ubisoft really seems like a ship without a rudder these days. That new Prince of Persia game underperformed. By all indications, Skull and Bones has bombed. And XDefiant (what a name lol) is stuck in development hell.

I'm not sure what Ubisoft has these days besides Assassin's Creed...

 

[Mokus]

It's ok to not believe allegations from one person if they are not backed up by evidence, even though Ubisoft has a history of bad workplace culture.

But what i find far more surprising is GAF's hard-on for crunch culture. It's ok to work developers to death as long as you get your game early ? Imperialist mindset. Where is this coming from ? I'm sure everyone here would enjoy not having to work more than 5 days a week or more than 8 hours a day. Why not extend that same consideration to game developers ? They are human beings too, same as you and me.

There are a lot more people on this planet who have to do physical work in much harsher conditions outside exposed to weather conditions and 7 days a week (that also is very harmful for their health). And this is only the tip of the iceberg. But almost nobody talks about them, only about these soft and underdeveloped adults who always have a time to whine to a journalist.

 

[RickSanchez]

There are a lot more people on this planet who have to do physical work in much harsher conditions outside exposed to weather conditions and 7 days a week (that also is very harmful for their health). And this is only the tip of the iceberg. But almost nobody talks about them, only about these soft and underdeveloped adults who always have a time to whine to a journalist.

I know what you mean. Miners, construction workers, etc. But the solution to that is talking about them and trying to improve their lives, if at all you have the influence to do that. Making software developers crunch makes no difference the situation of other people.

I too work a mostly cushy job. Me crunching long hours in my office will not improve the life of a random construction worker. What i said, still stands.

 

[Soodanim]

Thread titles in all caps should be a bannable offence.

 

[Reallink]

It's ok to not believe allegations from one person if they are not backed up by evidence, even though Ubisoft has a history of bad workplace culture.

But what i find far more surprising is GAF's hard-on for crunch culture. It's ok to work developers to death as long as you get your game early ? Imperialist mindset. Where is this coming from ? I'm sure everyone here would enjoy not having to work more than 5 days a week or more than 8 hours a day. Why not extend that same consideration to game developers ? They are human beings too, same as you and me.

The "hard on" is based on an understanding that the lowest level developers at big western studios earn $150K-$200K year and enjoy similar amenities to all those "day in the life" Tiktok memes you see from other FAANG's. Crunch to these people is making minimal effort to actually perform their basic duties for the majority of the day, and not spend half of it playing ping pong or napping in their meditation rooms with drinks from the in-house Artisanal Juice Bar. Does this Lissette woman actually sound and look like someone who was earnestly performing 12-16+ hours of labor a day? Come'on man, grow a brain.

 

[RickSanchez]

The "hard on" is based on an understanding that the lowest level developers at big western studios earn $150K-$200K year and enjoy similar amenities to all those "day in the life" Tiktok memes you see from other FAANG's. Crunch to these people is making minimal effort to actually perform their basic duties for the majority of the day, and not spend half of it playing ping pong or napping in their meditation rooms with drinks from the in-house Artisanal Juice Bar.

Completely fair to expect someone to work their allotted hours dilligently and not slack off. But i believe that is different, and crunch is different.

Does this Lissette woman actually sound and look like someone who was earnestly performing 12-16+ hours of labor a day?

Hard to judge based on a Twitter profile.

Come'on man, grow a brain.

I don't remember getting personal with you. But ok.

 

[Reallink]

Completely fair to expect someone to work their allotted hours dilligently and not slack off. But i believe that is different, and crunch is different.


Hard to judge based on a Twitter profile.


I don't remember getting personal with you. But ok.

Nah it's really not. There is no reality in the entire multiverse where this woman is sleeping under her desk like a Japanese salarymen. You can take that to the bank as a 200% guarantee. But of course you already know this, intuitively, and so does everyone else.

 

[AJUMP23]

I think they did happen but she's purposefully omitting the full picture. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of this "bullying" was a consequence of she herself acting like an asshole.

There is no way a person wrote the N word on a board in a conference room. No matter the persons behavior.

 

[nush]

There is no way a person wrote the N word on a board in a conference room. No matter the persons behavior.

You'd think she'd take a picture of it. "Don't you guys have phones?"

 

[midasmulligan]

Why is the title of the thread in caps lock? Looks like a thread from Reeeee

 

[Loomy]

There is no way a person wrote the N word on a board in a conference room. No matter the persons behavior.

Oh you sweet summer child.

A cargo ship ran into a bridge due to a technical issue with the ship and everyone started blaming DEI practices for it. They found out the Mayor of Baltimore is a young black man, and they started spouting all kinds of racist shit and, again, blaming DEI for him winning his election.

I don't think you understand just how fucking racist some people can be and how safe they feel being that way.

 

[YeulEmeralda]

Crunch and still delayed? Morons.

 

[StueyDuck]

Crunch is good.

What? We were all thinking it.

I agree... when there's passion.

Crunch can also be a sign of terrible leadership.

 

[StueyDuck]

Former developer speaks out about abuse

Yeah... this shit didn't happen .

I'm sorry but this is the race grifters MO.

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

Speaking from a business angle, I think eventually surveillance rules are going to have to change at these older, larger, established developer and publisher companies. There’s simply too much at stake in today’s world of inflated budgeting for someone to simply throw accusations out there about why a game is in development hell, thus stirring a pot and potentially killing hype or sales.

The increased surveillance would also dissuade the bad actors that seemingly keep popping up in these companies, as they are being part of the problem by potentially doing these reported actions.

It’s one of the few ways I see this ‘he said, she said, he did, she did’ side-taking stuff stopping in gaming. Evidence is one of the easier methods of achieving transparency.

I don’t care if it sounds like too much. These situations have to go away together(the actions and the accuser). Neither are helping business.

I have said this a lot of times, not only for the particular case of devs but in general. I am fully pro-surveillance, but the reaction from the same people making the allegations would be predictable: "We don't live in a fascist state, my civil rights, this and that"

So they can keep making allegations based only on their demographic group.

 

[AJUMP23]

Oh you sweet summer child.

A cargo ship ran into a bridge due to a technical issue with the ship and everyone started blaming DEI practices for it. They found out the Mayor of Baltimore is a young black man, and they started spouting all kinds of racist shit and, again, blaming DEI for him winning his election.

I don't think you understand just how fucking racist some people can be and how safe they feel being that way.

People are racist but they do not go into their work and write racist stuff on white boards. Especially college educated. No way one thing that lady said happened to her.

 

[Loomy]

People are racist but they do not go into their work and write racist stuff on white boards. Especially college educated. No way one thing that lady said happened to her.

They send racist shit through Slack, and try to sneak it into presentations thinking it's funny.