As stories of abuse and misconduct in the video game industry come to light, it might seem like the less rigid structure ofindie gamesdevelopment may be less conducive to malice and malpractice than the more traditional AAA game production. This is, of course, not the case by default, and a new YouTube production has brought more examples of developer abuse to light.
People Make Games is a YouTube channel dedicated to telling stories about video games and the people making them. Its latest project concernsindie gamesspecifically, and the story of what the developers working at three specific - and established - indie game studios have gone through, describing some situations and managers as “very cruel.”
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While the majority of PMG’s sources have decided to stay anonymous, they all hail from Mountains,Fullbright, and Funomena, three recognized and acclaimed indie game studios responsible for the production and publishing ofFlorence,Gone Home, andLuna: Moondust Gardenrespectively. According to sources, studio heads at these companies have been exploitative and emotionally punishing, to the point where one of Mountains' former employees - Tony Coculuzzi - attempted suicide.
According to Coculuzzi, he and the rest of the crew working at Mountains had been verbally and emotionally abused by indie game producer Ken Wong, who was already renowned for his work onMonument Valley. PMG’s investigation has revealed that Wong engages in toxic and controlling behavior. Sources say that Wong’s behavior was normalized by the introduction of a “safe word,” where the targeted employee could ask for a pause, and for the rest of the team to mediate the perceived slight.
A more misogynistic note was allegedly present at Fullbright, where female employees would leave the company due to Steve Gaynor’s behavior.Steve Gaynor ultimately stepped down due to abuse allegations, it’s worth pointing out. Funomena’s Robin Hunicke, on the other hand, is alleged to have used her employees' personal information to humiliate them.
The entire People Make Games documentary is a somber, 40-minute reminder that the indie gaming industry is not insulated from issues that are pervasive in AAA game productions by any stretch of the imagination. Early in 2021, it was made public that theScavengers Studio’s Creative Director was suspendeddue to allegations of abuse, and the problems brought up in that situation may ring a bell while watching the PMG’s documentary, as the issues are far more widespread than one might imagine.
