There is a severe lack of standardisation across management, which creates an environment where progression is more about manager rapport than performance, dedication, or ability. Communication is routinely filtered through a lens of corporate optimism that is far from the everyday reality for most developers. Promises are made to undertake huge workloads without consulting or considering the teams expected to fulfil them, leaving developers feeling undervalued, overworked, and ultimately burned out.
Despite branding itself as a "no crunch" studio, crunch happens, and is often the result of poor planning and unrealistic commitments. While overtime is optional, declining it is often met with pressure, guilt tripping, manipulative tactics, and subtle threats to career progression. Phrases like “do it for the team” or “we’re all in this together” are regularly weaponised to push staff into overtime. While OT is technically paid, the pay structure is inconsistent, requires pre-approval, and often demands significant self advocacy just to be compensated fairly.
Bullying is a longstanding and unresolved issue. Complaints are ignored, leaving toxic individuals unchecked while those affected feel unsupported and unsafe. Accountability is minimal, and apologies are surface level at best, contributing to a culture of silence and mistrust.
Remote work is largely reserved for senior level staff and above, with requests for remote arrangements frequently denied, even when tied to legitimate personal or medical needs. These decisions are often made by individuals who themselves work remotely; a frustrating double standard.
The Middlesbrough location poses a serious issue. The company expects employees to relocate to or regularly commute into one of the most unsafe areas in the UK, which is both a major lifestyle ask and a legitimate safety concern. Crime rates are significantly above national averages, mainly involving violent crime and theft. This environment is not ideal, especially when compounded by the expectation to be physically present.
Pay is mediocre for the level of responsibility expected. Promotions and raises are inconsistent, heavily influenced by managerial favouritism, and there is an active discouragement from discussing pay openly, sometimes even resulting in reprimands.
Seniority does not equate to competency. There are senior developers who lack the basic ability to work independently, forcing junior team members to pick up the slack. Despite raising concerns, management rarely intervenes, leaving junior staff overwhelmed and undercompensated for the added responsibility.
The comapny have adopted a corporate, micromanaged culture that feels more like a surveillance state than a progressive games studio. Hours are closely monitored, and time away from your desk must be explicitly justified. Communication is not transparent, it's delayed and vague, with company updates often arriving long after decisions have already been made.
In Summer 2024, we were told that all jobs were safe and there was nothing to worry about. Then, two weeks before Christmas, 11 people were laid off under the guise of “restructuring.” Despite being framed as a non-financial decision, the timing and delivery were deeply insensitive, especially in the context of wider industry layoffs.
Partner invites to company parties have been rescinded due to isolated incidents yet serious issues at these events, many of which are caused by staff, are rarely addressed meaningfully. You might get a performative apology email, but speaking up can feel risky, leading to many incidents not being reported for fear of repercussions.
Employees are being placed on performance plans or even dismissed over minor infractions, while serious issues go unaddressed.
The company’s response to external events such as the 2024 Middlesbrough riots was especially poor. Many employees felt unsafe and scared. The official response was to offer early leave, on the condition that the time be made up later. Expecting staff to prioritise work during an extremely violent event showed a shocking lack of empathy and genuine care for staff welfare.
The in-office canteen is showcased as a company perk, but in reality, it serves as a daily reminder of misplaced priorities. The food quality is poor, and the prices are steep. The company appears far more invested in surface level optics than in the actual wellbeing of its employees. The CEO’s focus on external ventures, such as the Pneuma Group, only underscores this disconnect, as resources and attention seem diverted toward building a lifestyle brand rather than improving the day to day experience of staff. Instead of addressing root causes, management continues to offer superficial gestures, like a dragon dance for Chinese New Year or stroopwafels for King's Day. These feel less like genuine cultural celebrations and more like distractions to pacify, reinforcing the sense that staff wellbeing is being managed through PR tactics rather than meaningful change.
