Glen Schofield sighs, and shifts in his seat. The Striking Distance CEO is clearly excited to give us an exclusive glimpse of the opening of his studio’s forthcoming science-fiction horror The Callisto Protocol, as well as an extended look at a later section of the game. But he’s aware he has something else to address first. You wouldn’t exactly say he’s happy to talk about it – “I want to put the attention back on the game and not on this,” he says – but equally it’s clear he doesn’t want to simply sweep it under the carpet.
“Well, you know…” he begins, and sighs again. “It was a thank you,” he says, finally. He’s talking, of course, about a tweet he posted shortly after his return from a trip to promote The Callisto Protocol at Gamescom. Quickly deleted, its message about life at his studio – “working 6-7 days a week, nobody’s forcing us. Exhaustion, tired, Covid but we’re working… 12-15 hour days. This is gaming… U do it cause ya luv it” – created a firestorm among fellow developers and media alike. As per Twitter tradition, condemnation was fast and far-reaching, accusing Schofield of promoting the kind of culture of overwork that has become endemic in the videogame industry – a culture which, fortunately, many of its leaders are working to address.
Denne historien er fra December 2022-utgaven av Edge UK.
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Denne historien er fra December 2022-utgaven av Edge UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
NO MORE ROOM IN HELL 2
You're not alone in the dark
WINDBLOWN
Life after Dead Cells
COLLECTED WORKS - JOSH SAWYER
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SCREENBOUND
Going deep in a mind-bending hybrid of perspectives
Trigger Happy
Shoot first, ask questions later
Grand strategist
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A progress report on the games we just can't quit
Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection
In Capcom's diabolical tribute, evil goes far deeper than the demons on the screen
SERENITY FORGE
How a near-death experience lit a fire in the Colorado-based developer and publisher
THE MAKING OF...ALIEN: ISOLATION
How a strategy-led studio built a survival horror masterpiece in Ridley Scott's image