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May 17, 2018
3,454
In anticipation of their upcoming 25th anniversary, David Cage, Guillaume De Fondaumiere and "the rest of the Quantic Dream Team" have released a statement regarding current statistics and improvements made to Quantic Dream's culture.

As we approach our 25th anniversary celebration next month, we wanted to share that Quantic Dream has been in the process of reassessing our practices to ensure the culture of our studio remains supportive, safe and respectful of everyone.

Today, we would like to share some facts and actions we have taken to further our commitment to nurturing a respectful, welcoming and supportive studio:

  • We are partnering with an LGBTQIA+ organization to advise on authentic representation of LGBTQIA+ characters, stories and themes in our games. Training sessions and brainstorms have already started.
  • Quantic Dream is engaged with the Diversity Charter promoted by French organizations SNJV and SELL, the governmental agencies DGE and CNC. you can read it HERE.
  • Our LGBTQIA+ community has nominated representatives to ensure that diverse voices and authentic representation are infused in everything that we do, and that a diversity of viewpoints are represented at all levels in the studio.
  • We have and will continue to hire and elevate diverse talent, including within our writing staff, to ensure that we reflect the diversity of our audience and the games we want to create.
  • Employees from the LGBTQIA+ community have been present at the studio since its creation. Many have seniority of ten years or more in the company, occupying all positions and levels of responsibilities.
  • We are welcoming a DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) leader to the team, with a specific budget dedicated to DEI initiatives.
  • More than 50% of our managers are women, including our Production Directors, our Marketing VP, our Sales Director, our Communications Director, our Human Resources Director, many Project Managers, Producers and Department Leads. Our Equity score (evaluated by the French Government) shows equity in salary and equal treatment between women and men.
  • Internal processes allow any employee to report workplace issues anonymously through non-executive staff. Different channels, including dedicated digital spaces, are available to express themselves, share ideas and voice concerns. Anonymous surveys are also conducted in our team on a regular basis by independent third-party companies specialized in human resources so anyone can freely express their opinion or concerns.
To ensure that our core values and beliefs are clear and represented, we will continue to broaden ourselves, make our workplace the safest environment and further support communities and our own team here at Quantic Dream.

David Cage, Guillaume De Fondaumiere and the rest of the Quantic Dream Team

I know people will immediately write this off, but, this all seems good, unless I'm missing something? Hopefully all of this remains the new status quo there.
 

Deleted member 110527

Mar 11, 2022
1,311
I mean... it all sounds good, but how many times have game studios put out similar briefs just for employees to come out later saying it was all lip service? An attempt to be better should always be highlighted as progress in some form, but I hope they actually stick to this and allow some of the people they're bragging about hiring/working with to speak for themselves, instead of through David "we don't make games for f*gs" Cage.
 

Maxime

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,982
There's a new judgment from another former employee coming up in a few weeks btw.
 
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Morrigan

Spear of the Metal Church
Member
Oct 24, 2017
34,313
"We did nothing wrong and those journos were lying, but uhhh here are the steps we took to improve our shitty conditions"

Sure OK. So long as Cage is still there though, grain of salt.
 
Oct 25, 2017
1,358
I mean, this sounds good on paper. But I am not gonna take the guy who, in court and on the stand, directly ask the judge "is it OK if I lie?" Said guy is still in charge and was specifically both a direct abuser and also fully aware of other people in the company abusing others.

So yeah, I think it perfectly rational to write this off for the time being.

David Cage has done nothing to earn the benefit of the doubt.
 

cartographer

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,004
In anticipation of their upcoming 25th anniversary, David Cage, Guillaume De Fondaumiere and "the rest of the Quantic Dream Team" have released a statement regarding current statistics and improvements made to Quantic Dream's culture.



I know people will immediately write this off, but, this all seems good, unless I'm missing something? Hopefully all of this remains the new status quo there.
Some of the principle problems are still working at the company.
 

mudai

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,330
But David Cage (and apparently many others) is still in charge despite him actively contributing to the abusement and looking past it. Sorry, but I can't take this seriously then.
 

klauskpm

â–˛ Legend â–˛
Member
Oct 26, 2017
3,244
Brazil
All those things written sound really good, but I have zero faith in them. Specially because they still have David Cage there
 

Richietto

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
22,963
North Carolina
Thats cool and genuinely a good thing but where are the abusive and awful people in the company? Are they shit canned yet? No? Then what the fuck all does this do? Cage and the other shit birds are magically gonna change as people or anything.
 

Rowsdower

Prophet of Truth - The Wise Ones
Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
16,565
Canada
Sounds good on paper, but as long as David Cage and the other abusers are there, I can't take any of this seriously.

Never forget how Cage treated Elliot Page.
 

platocplx

2020 Member Elect
Member
Oct 30, 2017
36,072
Ctrl + F "Replaced Management" 0 Results found.

Yeah they can keep it while the same management exists.
 

Zebesian-X

Member
Dec 3, 2018
19,694
"This person harassed me last week"

"Thanks for your feedback, we've hired a new diversity coach"

"okay but they just harassed me again"

"good news! The LGBTQIA+ Community will be getting better representation in our next game"

"They still won't leave me alone it's been 6 months"

"No problem! we've streamlined our complaints process so you can feel more comfortable expressing the concerns that we'll continue to ignore"

Like...
 

Aegus

Member
Oct 29, 2017
1,194
Not sure why people are expecting Cage to just bounce out the door. He owns the damn company.

He can step down from his position, but he's still going to benefit.
 

Niosai

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 28, 2017
4,919
If there's a drop of poison in the well, the water is still poisoned. Doesn't matter how much you perfume it.

Another analogy:

If there's a turd in the pool, perfuming it doesn't remove the turd.
 
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Yuntu

Prophet of Regret
Member
Nov 7, 2019
10,669
Germany
The problems are still working there so this doesnt tell me anything. Meaningless statement.
 

Lunatious

Member
Dec 18, 2018
696
I know people will immediately write this off, but, this all seems good, unless I'm missing something? Hopefully all of this remains the new status quo there.

Kinda hard not to write it off when David Cage still heads the company and he's a well known piece of shit. Not to mention all the other people who perpetuated the toxic culture within the company and are still there.
 

Imran

Member
Oct 24, 2017
6,566
We have and will continue to hire and elevate diverse talent, including within our writing staff, to ensure that we reflect the diversity of our audience and the games we want to create.

This one feels like "We need another bullet point" because there's literally nothing to hold them to here.
 

Dan Thunder

Member
Nov 2, 2017
14,020
qLChi3E.jpg


Joking aside, I hope this does see some improvements for large portions of their team.
 

cursed beef

Member
Jan 3, 2021
651
they're hurting and desperate – they can't hold on to or bring in new talent for shit, their star wars game is in the toilet. this is the "baby i can change" of studio updates. it doesn't mean jack. the damage is done
 
Oct 27, 2017
12,374
It's good but David and Guillaume still gotta go
Yep.

As far as steps, those are all really great ones. And I don't believe the people are unable to change so hopefully the heads are just as involved and are genuinely reflecting on how shitty they've been and are willing to make actual changes to be better people.

But I'm skeptical based on how the court conversations went.
 

MerluzaSamus

Member
Dec 3, 2018
1,127
I know people will immediately write this off, but, this all seems good, unless I'm missing something? Hopefully all of this remains the new status quo there.
Well... There's no new status quo, when the people that allowed that toxic culture to exist in the first place are still in charge of the company.
Take a look at how much ABK and Ubisoft changed after announcing their respective "culture changes".
 
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Arithmetician

Member
Oct 9, 2019
1,983
Imagine being hired to be DEI lead at Quantic Dream at this moment - must be a stressful position to be in if you have to call them out on their whole culture
 

Nugnip

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,744
I know people will immediately write this off, but, this all seems good, unless I'm missing something?
They still sued reporters who dared report on them in the first place. Reporters who lost the lawsuit because they couldn't defend without exposing their sources, which they refused to do. These people are still there, and need to go before I even consider spending another dollar for their games, no matter how much star wars they pump into it.
 
OP
OP
DailyCalmSpirit
May 17, 2018
3,454
Well... There's no new status quo, when the people that allowed that toxic culture to exist in the first place are still in charge of the company.
Take a look at how much ABK and Ubisoft changed after announcing their respective "culture changes".

I guess I read some of these items as newer developments. If this list is just a recount of the way things have been there for 25+ years, then, yeah, obviously nothing's changed and nothing will change.
 

Oreiller

Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,831
The Diversity Charter thing is an absolute joke. Both the SNJV and SELL always try to minimise cases of abuse by protecting higher-ups instead of workers.

What a bunch of drivel.
 

Doctor Doggo

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,372
Fuck off. People got fed up being treated like pieces of shit and spoke up. And you are only now doing something, because you are trying to save face.

This thing reads like, "How can I be a racist if I have a black friend?!"
 

ghostcrew

The Shrouded Ghost
Administrator
Oct 27, 2017
30,351
Miss me with "employees from the LGBTQIA+ community have been present at the studio since its creation" and "we have so many women leaders already" when, during that tenure, we've had classics like "we don't games for fags" and "all women are born equal, but the best become whores" etc.

'We've had x representation since day one' means fuck all if all of the alleged nonsense happened during that time. It obviously didn't help whatever was wrong then so I don't know what it adds saying it now. There was obviously something else poisoning the well beyond those voices.

The other stuff is good to see. Should've just ran with that good stuff.
 

Jakartalado

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,275
SĂŁo Paulo, Brazil
I firmly believe in initiatives like this.

I've been working on a huge fintech here in Brazil and after the latest M&A we had some concerns about the culture surrounding the company that was about to be integrated.

After many months, we saw a huge boost in overall employee satisfaction with the insertion of Diversity and Inclusion initiatives, panels, Q&A, strong emphasis on the community and the social impact of equity and development for underrepresented portions of the population such as black and brown communities, Woman in Leadership and LGBTQIA+.

Good to see Quantic Dream learning. But still a bit afraid about the crunch culture after the recently reports about Star Wars Eclipse and some old faces that still represent old habits.
 
Dec 2, 2021
816
If this was done along with ditching Cage and Fondaumiere, then I'd be all for this. On its own though it shows how bullshit it is since all the "changes" are done at the lower level.

"We now allow employees to anonymously express concerns by putting a letter in the complaint box that David will then use to wipe his ass the next time he takes a shit".
 

Helix

Mayor of Clown Town
Member
Jun 8, 2019
23,745
*checks if Cage is still a part of QD*

he is, so nothing much has changed.
 

Weltall Zero

Game Developer
Banned
Oct 26, 2017
19,343
Madrid
"We did nothing wrong and those journos were lying, but uhhh here are the steps we took to improve our shitty conditions"
Exactly. "I was crying because I can't get my shadow to stick on. Besides, I wasn't crying."

Actual change begins by admitting wrongdoing. When you don't, it sends the message that you care more about preserving your image than compensating your victims. It's not a leap to assume any further action will have the same priorities in mind.
 

Kalor

Resettlement Advisor
Member
Oct 25, 2017
19,625
Those changes are whatever when there's been no indication that the staff that were an issue are gone. And Cage is still there so definitely not enough based on the reports.
 

Keyser S

The Fallen
Oct 26, 2017
8,480
Are they expecting more bad press on the way soon? Feels like something they pushed out ahead of worse news heading their way
 

Thrill_house

Member
Oct 27, 2017
10,611
"Disney, please don't take star wars from us!" Is all I'm seeing here. The 2 assholes that seemed to be the root of the problem are still there. Ain't shit changed
 

Oreiller

Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,831
Can't wait to hear what the STJV (one of the main unions for game developers, as opposed to the SNJV which is an industry mouthpiece) has to Say about this. It should be spicy.