Rockstar San Diego Controversy Prompts IGDA Response

A recent letter from the "Wives of Rockstar San Diego" sparked controversy this week by exposing the apparently poor quality of life the developers at the studio must endure. Soon after, a Rockstar Vancouver employee working on Max Payne 3 corroborated the details of the original letter, saying he felt much of the same abuse at his studio. The International Game Developers Association (IGDA), which fights for the rights of developers, naturally finds these stories of overtime abuse to be quite disturbing.

In a post on the IGDA's website, the association condemned the working conditions that push developers beyond the limit. "In any studio, the IGDA finds the practice of undisclosed and constant overtime to be deceptive, exploitative, and ultimately harmful not only to developers but to their final product and the industry as a whole. While our research shows that many studios have found ways to preserve quality of life for their employees, unhealthy practices are still far too common in our industry," IGDA said.

The post continues, "The Board of the IGDA and the IGDA’s Quality of Life Special Interest Group extend their support to the developers at Rockstar San Diego and their families, and wish them the best in resolving their concerns. The IGDA’s Quality of Life Special Interest Group has issued an open invitation to Rockstar developers, studio heads, and corporate officers offering consultation to bridge overtime gaps on the basis of their common interest in producing the best game product possible."

Check out the full post for more on the IGDA's stance on Quality of Life issues. The association plans to release an updated Quality of Life Whitepaper in the second quarter of the year.