Anaitgames just published this article by the wonderful Marta Trivi. It's all in Spanish but I'll translate some excerpts. You can find the whole article here
I highly recommend to read the whole thing via Google Translate. There are lots of questionable stuff coming from MS in there.
Edit: not trying to downplay the credits issue, which I believe is very bad, but the article also talks about stuff like the studio's "punish culture" towards workers, low wages, MS not allowing work from home during the pandemic and the constant communication problems with management.
Metroid was originally planned to have twice as many bosses as there are in the game and almost twice as many cinematics and that was unmanageable, it was impossible. The negotiation of this other cut was led by a programming manager who interceded with Nintendo because we couldn't meet the deadlines. There was no time because, besides, we don't do crunch. This man was the dike between Nintendo and us. He saved our lives.
The development of Metroid Dread was quite chaotic. Many times, giving me directions, my lead and the game director would contradict each other and this was always paid for by the workers," says a former programmer. "There is talent but many times it is not in the best positions. They manage people very badly and things come out with a lot of sweat and tears". This same, and the bad atmosphere that derives from this management, is something that a former artist also points out: "They don't trust the worker at all and it shows. You don't feel valued. The bad atmosphere is constant and it's very tense, in general." Talking to some of those involved in what has already become the highest rated Spanish game in history, there is a feeling that its development was not always a rewarding experience.
The most recent controversy regarding MercurySteam and the development of Metroid Dread has come in relation to an article published in Vandal in which several former employees of the studio show their frustration at not appearing in the credits of the Nintendo game. In relation to the absence of several workers, the studio has assured that the company's policy states that only employees who have remained in the studio for at least 25% of the development time are credited: "The studio's policy requires that anyone must work on the project at least 25% of the time, of the total development of the game, to appear in the final credits", we read in the text, "of course, exceptions are sometimes made when exceptional contributions are made".
Nevertheless, and despite the fact that "the picture that has been posted [in private groups] of the "Metroid team" is missing at least 50 people," these former workers point out that in general there is a certain fear of speaking publicly about conditions within MercurySteam: "I think they play a bit on the fact that many people don't dare to speak publicly. I know two other people who are not properly accredited but I understand that they are afraid to complain because it looks like they will ruin your career". One colleague, points directly to the leadership as the cause of this fear: "The senior leadership knows a lot of people and they can wreck your career if they have a problem with you. They don't mind badmouthing you and screwing up your career and that's why people don't talk," he says.
I highly recommend to read the whole thing via Google Translate. There are lots of questionable stuff coming from MS in there.
Edit: not trying to downplay the credits issue, which I believe is very bad, but the article also talks about stuff like the studio's "punish culture" towards workers, low wages, MS not allowing work from home during the pandemic and the constant communication problems with management.
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