Game Workers Unite blasts Telltale over shock layoffs

A professional-union group has issued a scathing assertion over Telltale Games’ therapy of its staff, 250 of whom have been terminated with out discover or severance Friday when the studio introduced that it was closing down.

Game Workers Unite positioned the blame squarely on the shoulders of Telltale’s executives, describing the administration of the studio as “incompetent” and “exploitative.”

“We know that the management disregards their workers,” the group mentioned within the assertion issued Saturday. “Several reports have continually highlighted the working conditions at Telltale, demonstrating that this is more of the ongoing prioritization of board members and shareholders that has existed since the studio’s founding – always to the detriment of their employees.”

Former Telltale narrative designer Emily Grace Buck explained on Twitter that not one of the roughly 250 laid off staff acquired any prior discover or severance pay, and that many have been contract staff who aren’t eligible for unemployment advantages within the U.S.

Telltale was hiring new staff as lately as per week previous to the announcement, and at the very least considered one of these had relocated throughout the nation to take the job.

Several studios have reached out by way of Twitter and the hashtag #telltalejobs to assist them discover new locations to work. Ubisoft San Francisco, the studio behind Rocksmith and South Park: The Fractured But Whole is internet hosting an impromptu jobs truthful in San Rafael Monday:

If you are searching for a brand new gig, #UbiSF is internet hosting a little bit shindig up in San Rafael — be part of us Monday at 4:30ish and meet a few of our crew, get the news on how we’re staffing up. We is likely to be simply what you want. #telltalejobs https://t.co/wlUgf8O386

— Ubisoft SF (@UbisoftStudioSF) September 22, 2018

Harebrained Schemes, builders of Necropolis and BattleTech, mentioned it has job openings in Seattle.

So unhappy to listen to about everybody affected by the Telltale closing. HBS is hiring, so if you happen to’re open to Seattle, examine right here: https://t.co/8s45wChDQ9.

Also ship res or portfolio to [email protected] since we’ve got roles arising quickly that have not been posted but! #TelltaleJobs

— Harebrained Schemes (@WeBeHarebrained) September 22, 2018

BioWare narrative director John Epler reached out and mentioned his firm is hiring as effectively:

Devastated to listen to concerning the Telltale layoffs. We’re hiring. https://t.co/UP2zTut0dj #TelltaleJobs

— John Epler (@eplerjc) September 22, 2018

But Game Workers Unite say it shouldn’t come to this, and that unionization is the best way to guard particular person builders from monetary insecurity.

“We cannot continue to just be reactive to these events, it is a losing battle. We can’t just send out job lists after every major studio closure. We have to be proactive. We have to be unionized before these disasters escalate too far.”

The full assertion can be found here.

Telltale Games administration has not issued an additional assertion since the announcement that the studio was closing down.