Last week, the spouses of Rockstar San Diego employees banded together to write an open letter to the company about the unacceptable work conditions. The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) has responded to the letter citing that indeed too many studios are practicing exploitative work conditions, and they should be held accountable.
"In any studio, the IGDA finds the practice of undisclosed and constant overtime to be deceptive, exploitative, and ultimately harmful not only to developers but to their final product and the industry as a whole," the association wrote in a statement. "While our research shows that many studios have found ways to preserve quality of life for their employees, unhealthy practices are still far too common in our industry.
"The IGDA has made clear its stance on excessive uncompensated overtime, and this instance represents an opportunity for reflection across the industry. Particularly with the stresses imposed by the declining economy, game studios, like other independent businesses, are under increased pressure and therefore are more susceptible to production concerns."
The IGDA also invited Rockstar developers, studio heads and executives to discuss the issues.
[via GI.biz]
[...] The past couple weeks haven't been so hot for Rockstar. Allegations of mismanagement, unethical treatment of employees and deteriorating work conditions have been abound, and the recent letter from the "Rockstar spouses" surely didn't ease studio executives' headaches. The IGDA also voiced its concern over the matter in a recent statement. [...]