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[frontovik]

I still remember the build-up to the Witcher 3 launch with delays and key developers leaving the studio which caused concerns among the community.

I'm glad the game turned out to be a resounding success, but it should ideally not come at the expense of talented developers. Alas, every workplace has to deal with politics or drama as a result of human nature.

That being said, CDPR is still one of few studios whom I trust to make an effort to reduce workplace toxicity while encouraging talent and creativity.

 

[UrbanRats]

Why is CDPR getting all the hate? I'm sure any studio that creates AAA titles will have their staff working just as hard. It's not easy to make these kind of games.

Rockstar has plenty of people complaining about working conditions too but oh no we can't be saying anything negative about them!

R* Got shat on (rightfully so) for that reason.
Also, R*'s accounts were much worse than anything i've read about CDP on GlassReviews.

If you want to point at something in the public, i think it's more worth to point out the fact that a lot of people don't want to accept a compromise between:

1) Very high production values.
2) Reasonable developing times + no delays.
3) Exponential growth in quality and scope of each subsequent project.
4) No excessive crunch, and good working conditions.

I don't think it's reasonable to expect all of the above, but a lot of people do, even if implicitly so.

If CyberPunk were to come out as smaller, less ambitious game than Witcher 3, i don't think a lot of people would just be ok with that.
And people already joke about this game taking forever to develop.

Point number 4 is the obvious priority for any rational person, yet i don't think it's that easy to accept for a lot of folks, at the detriment of the other 3.

 

[Vhalyar]

This is somewhat unexpected, to be honest. I wouldn't have thought the rumours/Glasdoor reviews were relevant enough to warrant a statement like this.

Depending on how bad both of those are, it absoutely would make it difficult for them to hire. Especially if there's a combo of people burning out -> leaving bad reviews -> can't find talented replacements.

Too bad this statement is garbage.

 

[Necron]

Can't make a game like the Witcher 3 without a few sacrifices

That's how I interpreted this statement as well.

 

[7roject28]

I always pictured game development like raiding in a MMO. Progression and figuring shit out is a drag and it's like "oh god sit me for this, I don't want to be here." and you miss out on friends and family for a while but then you get it down and you're like "Fuck yes, victory!" and you enjoy farm status for a while until the next tier(game) needs comes out and decide if you wanna do it again.

And then you have your Leroy Jenkins

 

[Demoskinos]

Responding to crunch allegations with basically a shoulder shrug isn't a good look for CDPR.

 

[True Fire]

What a worthless statement. They must be having recruitment issues if they felt compelled to release this nonsense.

 

[JWiLL]

What a worthless statement. They must be having recruitment issues if they felt compelled to release this nonsense.

Your statement could also be seen as nonsense.

The gaming industry as a whole has never been known for it's lax work environment. As if new talent isn't still jumping for a chance to work at a company with a record like CDPR despite some questionable employee reviews.

I'm willing to bet that Naughty Dog will also continue to recruit without trouble despite recent rumours as well.

 

[thumb]

Your statement could also be seen as nonsense.

The gaming industry as a whole has never been known for it's lax work environment. As if new talent isn't still jumping for a chance to work at a company with a record like CDPR despite some questionable employee reviews.

I'm willing to bet that Naughty Dog will also continue to recruit without trouble despite recent rumours as well.

Yes and no. While I'm sure both companies will continue to have no problem attracting junior talent, senior talent may be harder to come by. Senior developers and directors can afford to be more picky and aren't necessarily as willing to mortgage their health as the incoming round of college grads.

 

[UserDoesNotExist]

This convinced me... that my original skepticism about the Glassdoor reviews was incorrect, and there IS something going on there.

What a clusterf*** of a PR release. Would have been better to say nothing at all.

 

[souppboy]

What do you expect? He is on record talking about how stressful making games is for him and the whole team. He started out peddling games, not making them for fun like Cliffy B. The fact they continue on is cool in my book. Everybody looks for a reason to quit, let’s reward diligence not bash it.

 

[Plumpbiscuit]

They didn't even address the concerns of the reviews other than mention that they are there, which makes me really believe some or most of the Glassdoor reviews are correct.

 

[Thorrgal]

I always pictured game development like raiding in a MMO. Progression and figuring shit out is a drag and it's like "oh god sit me for this, I don't want to be here." and you miss out on friends and family for a while but then you get it down and you're like "Fuck yes, victory!" and you enjoy farm status for a while until the next tier(game) needs comes out and decide if you wanna do it again.

Perfect definition lol!

 

[CrichtonKicks]

What a worthless statement. They must be having recruitment issues if they felt compelled to release this nonsense.

I believe CDPR is actively trying to recruit from the entire industry, not just Poland. Given that a lot of people are potentially looking at moving to a new country just to work there it shouldn't be surprising that recruitment may be a challenge.

 

[blummer102]

I mean, at the end of the day CDPR is just a company, like any other company. As good as they games they make are, and as cool as it might seem to work there, they are not a magical utopia where everything is perfect. I'm sure they have a lot of internal politics and struggles, especially since they have grown so much in the last couple of years and are a triple A studio in an industry renown for crunch time and tough working conditions. It's what happens when companies get big. It's just harder for the gaming community to stomach in this instance because CD Projekt is seen as a darling that makes really awesome games and generally treats their fanbase well.

But they ain't perfect. Those who remember the Rise of the White Wolf Witcher 1 cancellation fiasco and that weird Witcher 2 MOBA game will attest to the business decisions they've made in the past that haven't worked out well, and those who remember the noticeable Witcher 3 graphical downgrade will attest to the fact that they've had to go back on their words in the past.

 

[BigTnaples]

I remember the rumors/leak before The Witcher 3 released.

"They are promising a game that never existed, people will be incredibly disappointed with the results".

Yep. I remember that too. And it turned out to be the best game I've ever played.


Going to take CDPRs word on this one.

 

[family_guy]

Doesn't look like he gained any weight. Whatever he's doing, it's working.

 

[Grazzt]

Take your time. I trust CDPR, and I believe Cyberpunk 2077 will be great.

 

[Renekton]

I always pictured game development like raiding in a MMO. Progression and figuring shit out is a drag and it's like "oh god sit me for this, I don't want to be here." and you miss out on friends and family for a while but then you get it down and you're like "Fuck yes, victory!" and you enjoy farm status for a while until the next tier(game) needs comes out and decide if you wanna do it again.

Sounds awesome until we learn that less than 0.1% of guilds reached the last boss of original Naxxramas 40, which is still more than the number of enterprises that achieve farm status.

 

[III-V]

CDPR are my fucking hero.

 

[Renekton]

I mean, at the end of the day CDPR is just a company, like any other company. As good as they games they make are, and as cool as it might seem to work there, they are not a magical utopia where everything is perfect. I'm sure they have a lot of internal politics and struggles, especially since they have grown so much in the last couple of years and are a triple A studio in an industry renown for crunch time and tough working conditions. It's what happens when companies get big. It's just harder for the gaming community to stomach in this instance because CD Projekt is seen as a darling that makes really awesome games and generally treats their fanbase well.

This "industry standard" thing looks like handwaving away the issue of working conditions and excessive crunch. Just because it is supposedly commonplace doesn't mean CDPR should (allegedly anyways) do it too.

 

[GameAddict411]

It seem they hit a roadblock with Cyberpunk. I just hope they manage to deliver something at least.

 

[Deleted member 80556]

He's seen things.

Things you wouldn't believe.

After Cyberpunk 2077:

 

[Random Human]

.

 

[Compsiox]

The whole vision of the game is that of one or a few people?

 

[D4rth Man7iz]

Basically translates to "Making games is hard, we make people work hard, it's all true"

Pretty much.

 

[kmax]

Knowing already how shitty work environments with crunch and whatnot are for many in the gaming industry and playing Witcher 3, I don't even want to think about the amount of hard work that went into the game.

The game is absolutely massive in scope.

 

[Panajev2001a]

Knowing already how shitty work environments with crunch and whatnot are for many in the gaming industry and playing Witcher 3, I don't even want to think about the amount of hard work that went into the game.

The game is absolutely massive in scope.

Considering what happens to people that burn out because of the crunch in these environments, i.e. they are generally let go without fanfare as broken stuff, that is a hard thought indeed.

 

[Panajev2001a]

Because they have crappy labour practices?

Considering the ND sexual harassment thread went approximately (after Kotaku’s piece):

PersonA: and then he was fired.
PersonB: because he was harassed and reported it? Unacceptable.
PersonC: no, no... he burned out due to crunch and too much hard pressure put on him and not a lot of empathy from his coworkers either.
PersonB: ah, that’s ok... quite common actually.

 

[CloudWolf]

That entire letter feels like an explanation. So the rumors are true, then?

 

[Panajev2001a]

That entire letter feels like an explanation. So the rumors are true, then?

I liked the part where they say that although they still aim at improving working conditions they have heir own way of doing hints that makes them unique and they want to keep... as if the two were orthogonal somehow...

 

[Discotheque]

I admire the work they do, hell Witcher 3 is standing solid as my game of the gen right now.

But man I would never want to work there. But that goes for most if not all game studios really. The hours and crunch time seem soul destroying

 

[ElBoxyBrown]

What do you expect? He is on record talking about how stressful making games is for him and the whole team. He started out peddling games, not making them for fun like Cliffy B. The fact they continue on is cool in my book. Everybody looks for a reason to quit, let's reward diligence not bash it.

No one is bashing it. Making AAA video games can be a soul crushing ordeal. We should always strive to look towards better ways for employees to take care of themselves while also not work themselves to death. Fuck diligence if it cost you sleep, eating, and mental health.

 

[finalflame]

Welcome to game development my dudes. I think only people outside the industry act surprised by this. All of us mostly know what we’re signing up for. Working long hours isn’t a crime and nobody is obligated to stay. Most engineers know they could make more money working less hours in a different industry.

CDPR did more than most companies would do in this situation by putting out a statement. I think it was nice of them.

 

[Panajev2001a]

Welcome to game development my dudes. I think only people outside the industry act surprised by this. All of us mostly know what we’re signing up for. Working long hours isn’t a crime and nobody is obligated to stay. Most engineers know they could make more money working less hours in a different industry.

Some young engineers/artists grossly underestimate trading health (mental and physical) and social relationships and justify crunch, cause of many a breakdown... (interesting to see what happens to those who fall apart... and get kicked out). No, it is not news.

There seems to be a misconception that crunch at work makes you something of a heroic Navy Seal deployed in a war zone and this often comes from fellow employees, not just from management (sometimes management just needs their employees to setup this culture all by themselves and manage the outlier cases). This very often generates peer pressure from the fellow workers you lean on/work side by side with and can be crushing.