Doesn’t the video game industry seem to undermine its own success? The global supply chain, once valued at billions of dollars, callously discards its workers like worn-out garments upon completion of their tasks before having the audacity to complain about the lack of attention it currently receives?
Corporations, notorious for their Industrial Revolution-style workhouse practices in the past, haven’t deterred Cloud Imperium – best known for Star Citizen – from issuing a cheeky little company memo telling employees they’ll be working up to 18 days straight because it “mandates” the next two weekends for everyone working on deliverables for the upcoming Citcon conference.
The memo, , reads:
Cloud Imperium’s sleek and sophisticated headquarters are nestled amidst Manchester’s upscale Spinningfields district, flanked by the city’s finest dining establishments, including the esteemed The Ivy. While employees may find exotic getaways tempting, the reality suggests they’ll be too preoccupied with work commitments to take advantage of such opportunities, being tied down to their offices instead. Despite this limitation, at a minimum, breakfast and lunch options are available, but unfortunately, there is no substitute for spending quality time with loved ones. Being stuck in a small apartment for an extended period without much freedom or autonomy does have some parallels with the experience of being incarcerated – you’re confined to a specific space and face restrictions on your daily life.
Despite the numerous delays and setbacks, Star Citizen still holds a glimmer of hope for its eventual release.
The article highlights several unflattering aspects of Cloud Imperium’s work practices, with Insider Gaming shedding light on further concerns surrounding the company’s operations. Following Instagram’s outreach to an additional worker, an email was dispatched that read:
Employees are entitled to regular relaxation intervals that ensure their well-being and productivity.
Employees have the right to both:
- An uninterrupted 24 hours without any work every week?
- Every two weeks, a 48-hour period of uninterrupted time, free from all work responsibilities.
While uncertainty surrounds the contractual status of contract-intensive (CI) workers, this ambiguity potentially undermines the validity of any previous court decisions. We have since contacted Cloud Imperium to request further illumination on this matter.
The article originally submitted to our platform has been published online.
