this post was submitted on 30 Apr 2025
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This is why we need to have 90 dollar games! /s

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

I got laid off 3 months after I launched a modern website to replace my former company's old platform that none of their other developers wanted to work with.

I did exactly what they told me, something they wanted for years and years, and then I got laid off as a thanks instead of a bonus.

lol

Though I ended up getting a job that pays 30% more so I guess it ended up okay.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Somewhat typical for type of work that has a clear end in sight. And they typically never tell about the project-based plans in mind. Sorry you had to go through this.

Had something like that when I automated stuff for a small company.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

It wasn't a clear end in sight, there was still lots of content and systems that needed to be ported over to the new system, a new payment system to be integrated, and other new features they needed. They had two developers who were familiar with the new website, me and another dev. I did kind of suspect that something like this was possible, but I didn't think they would be dumb enough to actually do it. It turns out, they were dumb enough to do it.

They were just really cheap, and I was most likely their highest paid developer on my team, and myself and another dev were replaced by friends of manager that laid me off.

After that manager laid me off, I asked for a reference or a letter of recommendation, and was ghosted entirely. It happens.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago

Well, it's nice that you have landed a higher-paying position afterwards. Which I hope is better in other ways, too.

I certainly don't feel better about this kind of crap just because it's not a once-in-a-lifetime event.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago

Haven't played since they removed Linux support. Will never play again.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago

This is why we need copyright laws

In a sensible world we would not allow our society to steal the work of artists and then throw away the artist.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Apex legends? The fully online battle Royale style competitive shooter? Can anyone tell me why a game like this needs a "character writer" anyway? I've never played it so maybe there's some grand story I don't know about, but to me this sounds like writing a character for Counter Strike which I think we all agree would be completely pointless.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I'll try to explain, I'm not a specialist in the lore of Apex legends. But the game is based in the world of Titanfall. It released in 2019 with a few characters. Each 1 or 2 season bringing a new characters with new abilities and background in the story. They have done a pretty good job so far and I really enjoy each characters.

CS at least back in the day didn't have a class based gameplay, each characters had the same abilities. So I guess it doesn't really compare.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

It's more like asking why you need a writer for an Overwatch character than CS. The characterization is half of the point and, more importantly, sales on cosmetics, compared to CS/Halo/MW/Whatever

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I think at this points it's better to not join up with a large developer or publisher. The indie market has better job security.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago

Or better yet, organize like the Hollywood actors have WGA.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago

We should pay way more attention to other industries.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 week ago

That's sad and disgusting.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I was gonna get snooty about being an indie game buyer, then I remembered that I bought a Larian game developed in partnership with Hasbro, so my snootiness will have to wait for another day.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Hasbro is a requirement for the D&D license, no?

Larian at least went against the grain of the AAAAA Industry and delivered something truly wonderful.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago

Sure, but they're still a AAA studio since BG3 is a AAA game. AAA studios can absolutely create wonderful games.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago

Had over a thousand hours in Apex, while I quit way back because of different reasons, their actions definitely are not going to bring me back

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 week ago

And then they feed the documents to a LLM and iterate over it

[–] [email protected] 48 points 1 week ago (4 children)

My question is when workers in game studios start to make unions. It's a massive industry and the people actually making the games are constantly fucked over.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago

It will be used to justify raises AAA prices even more. Not that i care but it will be interesting to see.

[–] [email protected] 33 points 1 week ago

They are!

Recent and huge progress on that front. It's an industry wide union, and apparently even recently laid-off workers can join.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

in my head its because its an industry where going solo is viable and if they arent working at a company thats their goal so they have full contol over the vision and make all the money and one day they want to exert the same creative control over others and get overtime/overwork out of them

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 week ago

The irony is that becoming a solo dev is rarely feasible and even more rarely leads to a product that pays up more than just working elsewhere.

That immediately makes people point to success stories, like Stardew Valley. Dunno about others, but I don't have a family + girlfriend to sustain me for 4+ years, nor am I blinded by the dream possibility of reaching millions of sales when so many games struggle to reach 10k sales.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Many years ago. But as you said, it's a big industry, and the US is not an easy place to unionize in.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Yes, but there are also European developers. Such as Ubisoft, which previously had major issues with harassment, and probably still does. If they have a union, it certainly isn't a powerful one.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago

The French trade union Solidaires Informatique has pursued both criminal and civil charges. Not sure how much that accomplished, but at the very least a bunch of assholes were fired or resigned, so they weren't completely ineffective.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 week ago (1 children)

and the US is not an easy place to unionize in.

Moreso now than ever before.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago (2 children)

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time to plant a tree is right now.

But I don't think that advice includes people staring at a fast approaching wildfire...

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Funny thing about wildfires: the ashes allow a new generation of flora to take root. It will suck for us, but the children of tomorrow might have unions, vacations, and universal healthcare by default.

I can dream of a future, even if it won't be mine to enjoy.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago

That’s how I feel when I watch Star Trek. I won’t be alive to see the Phoenix warp into space but I’m hopeful future generations get there.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago

Now can be both the second-best-time to plant a tree and the first-best-time to grab a bucket of water!

Remember everyone, the forest is on fire and there's not many places to run. The fires of climate change affects the entire world, and this administration and the wealthy that back them will gleefully pour fuel on the flames and let your house burn.

You can stand around begging for rain, asking why the landlord didn't fix the sprinklers or why he never checked the fire extinguishers or why he's hiding under his desk clutching the cash register for dear life...

Or you can grab a bucket.

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