Key Takeaways
- Star Citizen devs endure 18-day crunch for CitizenCon 2024.
- Cloud Imperium demands weekend work, provides TOIL for extra hours.
- Devs has left the company during a weakened job market within the gaming industry.
As a long-time follower of Star Citizen and a witness to its rollercoaster journey, I can’t help but feel a mix of disbelief and amusement at the latest revelations about the development cycle at Cloud Imperium Games. It seems that the company is on a mission to outdo itself in terms of excessive crunch time and questionable labor practices.
The ongoing evolution process of ‘Star Citizen’ seems to continually come up with more and more humorous twists, thanks to the team at Cloud Imperium Games.
An anonymous Star Citizen developer has leaked an internal memo that details a grueling 18-day crunch to avoid a potential PR disaster at Citizencon 2024.
2024’s CitizenCon is an enthusiast gathering organized by Cloud Imperium Games, primarily to honor the space exploration game, Star Citizen. The initial convention took place in 2013, coinciding with the game’s early access launch. At that time, developers had anticipated releasing Star Citizen in 2014.
Ten years have passed, and the game remains in its developmental stage, having seen some enhancements, yet the extent of advancements doesn’t seem proportionate to the amount of time and resources – approximately $700 million – that have been invested into it so far.
The intense October rush is focused on releasing update 3.24.2 and pull together a demonstration of the Squadron 42 campaign, an ambitious project that has been under construction since 2012, featuring a star-studded cast.
Wake Me Up When October Ends
The pressure-cooker situation during CitizenCon appears to be emulating some of the most challenging aspects of AAA studio work, demonstrating their determination to keep pace with industry giants such as EA in every aspect.
Originally seen as days for working from home, Fridays now necessitate being in the office. However, this pales in comparison to the obligation of having a full workday not just on weekdays, but also on Saturdays and Sundays. While these days are technically flexible, it is strongly suggested that one is physically present.
Cloud Imperium is planning to reimburse their employees by providing them with meals (breakfast and lunch), as well as offering Time Off In Lieu (TOIL), which can be taken at a later time as a day off.
It’s more ominous when you consider a previous leak from July and the fact that developers have been required to work an additional 12 hours per week to meet the deadline for a CitizenCon demo, all on Time Off In Lieu (TOIL), with a condition attached. The TOIL earned between then and the convention can only be redeemed once Squadron 42 is released, which may not happen until the end of the universe as we know it. However, this benefit will only apply if the employee is still employed by Cloud Imperium Games at the time of release.
To ensure compliance with UK labor laws, the company made it clear to their offshore developers that they should take a break for 11 hours within each 24-hour period.
Charitably, Cloud Imperium is gifting one (1) day off for free after CitizenCon is over.
The requirements set by management are indicative of a recurring problem within the organization, which unfortunately has led skilled employees to leave the Star Citizen team, even amidst the competitive job market currently prevailing in the game development and technology sectors.
In Space, Nobody Can Hear a Release
As a Star Citizen player, I can’t deny the fun we’re having right now, but I understand when critics say our enthusiasm might be influenced by a mix of Stockholm Syndrome and the sunken cost fallacy. We’ve invested so much time and money into this game that it becomes hard not to feel attached, even if there are areas needing improvement.
It is easy to be deeply invested in a game you have spent thousands of dollars on. “At this point, why not stick around until it is released?” And thus the Star Citizen cycle continues, for another year… or ten.
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2024-10-03 02:08