Crytek refutes hire/fire blog allegations

By Robert Purchese Published 5 September, 2011

"It was written to purposefully harm us."

Crysis 2 developer Crytek has been accused of bad hiring and firing practices.

A blog appeared at the weekend that accused Crytek of a "bullying mentality" and of treating staff "like disposable pieces of meat".

Specific allegations were of staff being "fired unlawfully" to be replaced by cheaper, junior recruits. "Bullsh*t reasons" were apparently given for dismissal.

Crunch was noted for making staff suffer "both in medical and personal ways".

Redundancy offers were described as "meagre". The blog said staff were "forced" to settle their disputes with Crytek in court.

The blog went on to name positions of 16 members of staff that were pushed or walked as a result of the "polluted atmosphere".

Crytek co-founder Avni Yerli dismissed the allegations as "completely misleading", "very distressing" and "very disappointing" when speaking with Develop.

"We maintain excellent relationships with ex-employees, and we always try to."

Avni Yerli, co-founder, Crytek

Crytek, he said, "values its employees very highly", regardless of position. Yerli said this was the first time someone had tried to "harm us". "I think we maintain excellent relationships with ex-employees, and we always try to," he remarked.

"The fact that we can make strong games and technologies is entirely down to the skill and passion of the people that we work with, and a reflection of the harmony and the competency of our team."

Yerli explained how nine of the staff whose positions were named on the blog left "of their own accord". One of the positions belonged to a contractor and four were "released".

"Two of those ended in court cases which we won," revealed Yerli. "So never have we lost a case in accordance to labour cause."

Yerli admitted that in "some cases we ask people to leave". In doing so, the studio "always, always" complies with the law. "And we are always supportive to those staff in ways that are far beyond what is legally required," he added.

Another allegation the blog levelled at Crytek was that the developer was moving to a smaller studio in Frankfurt that wouldn't have room for 70 existing staff. Yerli said that this was "bullsh*t", and that the new studio "is larger". Yerli did accept that there may have been confusion among the ranks surrounding the office moves, however.

Crysis 2.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (28) Latest comment 9 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • P1GEONPOO #1 9 months ago

    They all want firing after that console version of crysis 2. PPPFFFF

    EDIT. Just my opinion, dont take it personally fanboys.
    Edited by P1GEONPOO at 05/09/11 @ 14:15

  • Ikaros_O #2 9 months ago

    Crytex seem like the sort of studio that would do this kind of thing. It seems you got to work your employees to the bone to make great games, just look at Red Dead and the scandal surrounding that.

  • eltonpr0n #3 9 months ago

    Personally I'm thinking about writing a blog due to the distress over the amount of spam comments in EG trying to sell me knocked of clothes. Although the bikini mentioned in the latest batch in this thread does interest me.

    Seriously though just sounds like a bunch of disgruntled ex-employees.
    Edited by eltonpr0n at 05/09/11 @ 14:29

  • epiazk #4 9 months ago

    @eltonpr0n

    For the first time I can ever think of, I clicked on the spam ad with the intention of buying.

    Looking for a longish coat.

    I imagine this makes me a dreadful person :3

  • epiazk #5 9 months ago

    Nevermind site sucks.

  • xuiton #6 9 months ago

    what is it with the gaming industry treating the work force like pieces of shit? Trade unions are fucking scum bags, but seriously I think people working in the game industry need some form of trade union for job security. People who test dog food get treated better.

  • superdelphinus #7 9 months ago

    Try being a trainee lawyer you work shy minge hawks. What is it with these game developers?

  • CaptainQuint #8 9 months ago

    Crytek can fuck off anyway. I'll never buy one of their unfinished glitch-fests again.

  • HL706 #9 9 months ago

    And to think I was beginning to miss the industry, a timely reminder of why I legged it when I did!

  • Faramis #10 9 months ago

    We live in economy based around highest possible profit for individual and then everything else comes. So who is suprised that those low placed workers get treated like dirt? I am not, after all this saying is true even today: All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing
    Edited by Faramis at 05/09/11 @ 15:02

  • Doctor_What #11 9 months ago

    I know one bloke at Crytek and he seems quite happy with working there. He's been there for about three years and seems pretty content with it.

  • Gearskin #12 9 months ago

    Bunch of pussies. Deal with it.

  • L0cky #13 9 months ago

    Corporate Manifesto:

    1. Increase sales.
    2. Reduce operating costs.

    2. can also be expressed as "shitting on your employees".

    There are exceptions, but they're usually companies that manage to stay private (ie Valve, or so far, Facebook); or have enough leverage to stay autonomous (ie id, Bethesda, Blizzard). For everyone else, there's no escaping that quarterly report of expected growth, however short term it's achieved.

    "Oh we made 1.39 trillion dollars instead of the projected 1.4 trillion dollars? Better lay off some staff, their salaries will make up the difference".

    However, Crytek are a private company; which means I'm more inclined to believe them. Also, back in 2004 their offices got raided for pirate software based on a tip off from an ex employee, and that turned out to be bullshit.

    Some people just suck at their jobs; and when you fire them they don't like it.

    /tossacoin

  • jablonski #14 9 months ago

    @uperdelphinus

    The fact that you used a term like 'minge-hawk' probably means you just aren't cut out for lawyering in the first place. That's why you find it hard.

  • consoledelight #15 9 months ago

    So they are treated like Employees everywhere then. You are disposable you are not guaranteed a job for life.

  • Bullet_Tunnel #16 9 months ago

    wow, peeps who show distain for money grubbers NOT BEING NEGGED?!?!?!?, usually if anyone mentions how corporations use us as cattle they are negged down, like for not accepting their slavery with blind faith is a bad thing. theres a change a comin

    lol haha, wake up bovines, watch They Live.. its more realistic than the futile lives your living. willing slaves, blinded by their selfish desire for trivial hedonism.
    Edited by Bullet_Tunnel at 05/09/11 @ 17:49

  • superdelphinus #17 9 months ago

    It's hard in terms of hours, workload and nazi managers, whether one uses the words minge and hawk in a sentence together or not. As are many other professions. You know, the actual professions. If these are the type of mcjobs where they are interchangeable with other jobs in completely different sectors, then fair enough work your 37 hours in tranquility and complain if you don't. If you are doing something where there are many other people who would love to be in your position, and your employment runs in accordance with the law, then don't complain if it gets a little tough at times.

    Apologies, I'm not usually this much of a kunt

  • arcam #18 9 months ago

    theres a change a comin

    Yeah, unfortunately not the change we need. Instead of watching just games developers treated like shit, we'll get to experience it first-hand as jobs disappear and other industries discover how much easier it is to cut costs when there are 30 people willing to do the job for less pay than the last man.

    Or maybe we all have a bright economic future, what do I know?

  • dr_zoidthrob #19 9 months ago

    I've gotta say, I'm not surprised. As a developer with 16 years experience, I'm finding it insanely hard to get a job - while at the same time, junior positions appear and disappear with annoying regularity.

    The thinking is that they'll do the same work for less money (not strictly true - I'd just like a damn job, ta!)

  • Darksjeik #20 9 months ago

    They should fire the dude that's responsible for the PC game autoswitching to 24p since that DX11 update.

  • octo #21 9 months ago

    Developer x in "shitty working conditions" shocker. News at 11.

  • Phishfood #22 9 months ago

    The fact that 2 people took them to court over the issue means they were feeling significantly disgruntled (and in the right) to the point they would risk paying legal fees.

    Now that to me doesn't say "I think we maintain excellent relationships with ex-employees, and we always try to,"

  • JorgeLuisBorges #23 9 months ago

    Some people get fired because for harsh, corporate, illegitimate reasons. Some people get fired because they're shit. The problem arises when people who get fired because they're shit think they are being mistreated because they work within an industry where other people (who are talented and work hard) get shat on.

    I work in graphic design - junior graphic designers are pretty badly treated regardless of talent and work ethic, but I've spoken to designers who were lazy and terrible who blamed it on the industry as a whole.

    Lets not cast judgement on stories without much evidence, and give Crytek the benefit of the doubt until some proof is uncovered.
    Edited by JorgeLuisBorges at 05/09/11 @ 18:28

  • JorgeLuisBorges #24 9 months ago

    @superdolphinus - Sorry mate - you're wrong. Try working within an oversubscribed industry - its exactly BECAUSE there are 100 other people who would do your job for free that people like designers or developers get treated poorly, especially at junior levels. Just because a job is popular, that doesn't mean you should be mistreated.

    Sure you will probably need to work harder, and you will need to be really talented to make it - but it doesn't mean that you are asking to be treated unfairly, just because you are pursuing your dream career.
    Edited by JorgeLuisBorges at 05/09/11 @ 20:18

  • The-Jack-Burton #25 9 months ago

    I wasn't feeling much love or passion from Crysis 2. I played through both 360/PS3 versions and they should have been much, much better games.

  • gjgjg #26 9 months ago

    Even if its not true, its time to get unionized devs

  • JadedSoul #27 9 months ago

    Post deleted at 08:10:55 26-04-2012

  • Bluetooth #28 9 months ago

    Sounds like your typical employer, to be fair.