Allegations of 'toxic culture' at acclaimed indie studio Fullbright | PC Gamer - danieltrum1952

Allegations of 'venomous culture' at acclaimed indie studio Fullbright

(Image credit: Annapurna Interactive)

Steve Gaynor, co-founder of Fullbright, is no longer fictive lead OR manager on its current labor, Open Roadstead, though he remains involved Eastern Samoa a author. A story published past Polygon claims that Gaynor was a "controlling" and "humiliating presence" who byword himself as embodying the studio apartment, and who at last swarm away multiple employees—especially women.

Fullbright is the indie studio behind Tacoma and Gone Home, which South Korean won the Best Debut category at the GDC Awards and the BAFTAs. Originally a small team, Fulbright has grown since teaming prepared with newspaper publisher Annapurna Interactive for Heart-to-heart Roads, but has allegedly lost multiple women employees referable Gaynor's micromanagement of them.

As the report is careful to note, no of the ex-employees of Fullbright who came forward are inculpatory Gaynor of sexual molestation operating room "explicit sexism", simply rather of bringing up a toxic finish that drove staff to leave. Of the 15 staff WHO have quit Fullbright since development on Unsealed Roads began, 12 said they left "at least in character imputable Gaynor's behavior toward workers, specifically women on the team."

"This is going to audio like a joke, but I'm completely serious: Temporary for him often matte up like working for a high school mean girl," said one of Polygon's sources. "His go-to weapon was to poke fun citizenry's opinions and embarrass them in front end of other people."

Fulbright's status as a small studio apartment, lacking a dedicated HR department, seems to have exacerbated the issue, with employees having to resort to anonymous digital Post-It notes and exit interviews to raise their issues. As yet due to the content of its games, which put women at their forefront, Fulbright kept attracting more women to work at the studio.

"It turns my suffer to think that [Gaynor] still gets to write these games about women's stories when this is how atomic number 2 treats them in real animation, with presumably no sign of fillet," an ex-employee of Fullbright told Polygon. "I want women in the industry and this studio to feel valued. I want defenceless young women WHO are new to the diligence to be supported, not preyed upon. I want women to not have to fright revenge from a powerful 'auteur' figure for speaking up. I want women to feel safe here. I want women to have it off that this is not modal. Much than anything, I barely desire him to blockade. He shouldn't be allowed to keep getting away with this."

Gaynor has replied in a overt statement on Chirrup, in which he says, "In the beginning this year, I stepped back from my role as creative lead happening Open Roadstead. My leading style was hurtful to people that worked at Fullbright, and for that I truly excuse.

"Stepping indorse has acknowledged Pine Tree State space and perspective to see how my role needs to interchange and how I need to learn and improve as part with of a team up, including working with an expert management advisor, and rethinking my relationship to the work on Fullbright.

"I care profoundly about Capable Roadstead and the Fullbright team up. I'm sad to give stepped back from day-after-day development of Give Roadstead, but it's been the right matter to do. The Heart-to-heart Roads team up has my full faith and support as they bring the game to completion."

Afford Roads remains in development. The game's established Twitter account proclaimed Gaynor was stepping down, locution, "We are a small team passionate active making an inclusive, poignant, tarradiddle-driven game that gives players a feeling of discovery. We care profoundly about creating games that bear a positive impact. We are also fervent believers in upbringin a work environment that is sun-loving and collaborative, where we can employment with transparency, autonomy, and trust."

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