Krafton terminated the game leads’ contracts “without valid cause”, a judge has ruled…

Pretty wild!

  • WagnasT@piefed.worldEnglish
    80·
    3 months ago

    Wow so allegedly Krafton wanted to avoid paying a $250 million bonus by firing the CEOs and delaying the release. Quite scummy.

      • Mossheart@lemmy.caEnglish
        251·
        3 months ago

        I’m American, I strongly believe in collateral damage

        Damn dude.

      • Bane_Killgrind@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
        42·
        3 months ago

        It’s a sales bonus, so the 250m is probably a cap not the floor, or a projected amount based on prior sales. I never read anywhere that it was literally a flat value owed based only on release date, but if somebody has some more specific reference to that I’d like to read.

      • Scubus@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        31·
        3 months ago

        I am ok with making their children go hungry

        But that not what you’re doing. They work for the company, company makes decisions. By choosing to work for that company you are standing by their decisions. When the company makes a bad decision, that’s on you. They are ok with their children starving because otherwise they wouldn’t be working for a company that pulls this bullshit.

        And yeah, there’s always the chance that the company started good, and people didn’t realize what it had become until it became an issue. But when it becomes an issue, either deal with it, or leave. They’re top tier game developers, any team would be lucky to have them. If no other team will have them, they can start their own team. By choosing to stick with the company making shitty decisions you are making those shitty decisions. They made their bed, you aren’t the one sleeping in it.

  • a4ng3l@lemmy.worldEnglish
    59·
    3 months ago

    Zero chance this end well. Once you overstay your welcome you leave or you take down the product in large orgs. Too much opportunity for fuckery at that level.

    • TemplaerDude@sh.itjust.worksOPEnglish
      30·
      3 months ago

      What would help is everyone involved with that decision got the fucking boot, got fined and/or jail time, but as usual the ramifications of these things don’t have any real punishment for the people who broke the law.

      • a4ng3l@lemmy.worldEnglish
        16·
        3 months ago

        They were the shareholders weren’t they? The IP literally belongs to them. At this stage the community can write it off. I agree with you that there should be some form of deterrent so that others companies are not pulling the same crap.

      • Ashtear@piefed.socialEnglish
        9·
        3 months ago

        Rampant, sociopathic, infinite growth corporate leadership is one thing, but I always assumed someone was being served by these CEOs. What this brief says about Kim is incredible, and that he didn’t settle this case is just icing on the cake of incompetence here.

        I’m old enough to remember when CEOs got held to account for this sort of thing, but I guess the big boys are all kings of their castles now. I’d be pissed if I was a Krafton shareholder.

    • femtek@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      14·
      3 months ago

      I think they can come in, release a decent game and maybe make their bonus. Then everyone leaves and makes a new company and it’s poisoned by investors.

      • a4ng3l@lemmy.worldEnglish
        10·
        3 months ago

        I’m not familiar enough with the gaming industry but ego is a bitch at c-level pretty much everywhere. To what extent will EVERYONE with enough influence want their bonus ? Or will they chose fuckery…

    • OwOarchist@pawb.socialEnglish
      7·
      3 months ago

      I don’t care what they do … I just really hope that a decent Subnautica sequel comes out of it.

      • Zedd_Prophecy@lemmy.worldEnglish
        6·
        3 months ago

        Yeah me too. With all this creative tomfoolery though I can’t imagine it’s helpful to to guys in the trenches coding the thing.

      • pinball_wizard@lemmy.zipEnglish
        1·
        3 months ago

        I’m looking forward to something like “Undersea Survival” made by the same creatives they’re taking a shit on now - after the real talent leaves to found a new studio or two.

        If that’s already happening, someone please link me to it.

  • grue@lemmy.worldEnglish
    27·
    3 months ago

    It’s not yet been decided what monetary damages, if any, will result from the ruling, nor is it clear if Subnautica 2’s release will be affected.

    Sounds to me like fair damages would start with removing Unknown Worlds from Krafton’s ownership.

    • SirEDCaLot@lemmy.todayEnglish
      3·
      3 months ago

      Would absolutely love that. Just split the two. Unknown Worlds cut loose, existing publishing agreements severed, they walk away with a developed game and their IP. Free to contract with Krafton or anyone else to distribute the game, or they could just self-publish pretty easily.

      Sadly I doubt that will happen but we can always hope.

  • MoogleMaestro@lemmy.zipEnglish
    22·
    3 months ago

    This has been one of the craziest stories in gaming in a long while.

    So does this mean that the old Unknown Worlds founders are back in as well?