No concrete evidence has yet been provided by the self-proclaimed “victims” of Swen Vincke’s leadership.
Larian Studios has suddenly found itself at the center of a firestorm as former employees and narrative designers take to the social media platform Blue Sky to voice serious allegations. These accounts describe a troubling environment involving claims of sexual harassment, a tolerance for far-right ideologies within the team, and exploitative recruitment practices specifically targeting narrative positions.
An individual using the handle Hash Bandicoot, who claims to have worked at Larian, alleged that management ignored repeated complaints regarding a colleague who became radicalized during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the whistleblower, this employee openly viewed Tim Pool content in the office, promoted theories on “cultural Marxism,” and cultivated a small circle of alt-right sympathizers. Despite several staff members reportedly appealing directly to CEO Swen Vincke to address a situation that felt hostile and contrary to the team’s values, the studio head allegedly declined to take action, deeming the employee “indispensable.” This supposedly resulted in a toxic atmosphere, particularly for marginalized staff members.
A separate wave of criticism focuses on the studio’s hiring protocols for writers. Zoe Quinn stated that she declined a position at Larian after being asked to complete a labor-intensive, unpaid writing test. She also highlighted a lack of support for remote work and the purported use of generative AI within the studio. Narrative designer Bruno Dias echoed these complaints, citing an excessive amount of unpaid work required for assessments, a grueling series of interviews, and months of waiting for feedback. Writer Cat Manning added that the studio has essentially extracted thousands of hours of free labor from candidates who were never compensated. Manning suggested that many victims remain silent about their negative experiences, holding onto the hope that the studio will eventually change its ways.
It is significant to mention that in 2019, Zoe Quinn accused Canadian developer and composer Alec Holowka of inappropriate and immoral behavior. Following those allegations, Holowka was abandoned by his colleagues and his ongoing project was canceled. The situation escalated into intense online harassment and ultimately ended in a tragedy. Quinn never provided any evidence to support those specific accusations.
Source: iXBT.games