Xelocix
Learned
I do enjoy posting doom-and-gloom Glassdoor reviews about this company.
January 11, 2021
"Uncertain past, shaky future"
Current Employee - Software Developer in Seattle, WA
Doesn't Recommend
Negative Outlook
Disapproves of CEO
I have been working at Hardsuit Labs full-time
Pros
Easy job interview
Most devs directly working on project are great
As long as big project going, some short-term security
Can talk with high-level execs
Cons
Can talk with high-level execs, but talk won't bolster morale or provide clear direction
Agendas vs. results often skewed, can spend too much time on abstract politics and personal agendas vs. making the game and getting something running in-engine
FPS studio making an RPG with little experience
Too easy job interviews, results in questionable hires
High turnover rate
Growing nepotism in design/writing
System design skills weak
Poor training in production and lead roles
Future is uncertain after big project is released
Advice to Management
Figure out next steps, communicate them confidently
Recognize past mistakes on project, but also act on them
Please have a more thorough interview process
I'm puzzled how this guy put "easy job interview" as a pro and then followed it up with "Actually it's too easy, needs to be harder and more thorough" and "Most devs directly working on project are great" followed by "devs making an RPG with little experience," "growing nepotism," and "system design skills weak." What makes them great then? I suppose maybe the artists have it together.
This is easily the most unsurprising thing I've read all year so far. It basically just highlights all of the problems that've been hinted at over the past year or two and confirms them.
As for how bipolar/contradictory the pros + cons are, I think it's probably due to this person having Stockholm Syndrome if Hardsuit Labs hired them in the middle of the current """pandemic""". They probably couldn't land a job for months due to how hard the gaming industry has been hit by this shit, and now feel a sense of gratitude to the company as a result. I think it's likely that Hardsuit fired a bunch of people when Covid began, but the game fell drastically behind schedule as a result so they panic-hired new employees once they started receiving financial aid. It would explain their complete lack of care for hiring actual talent, how quickly they've been burning through employees, and all of the Ubisoft whip-crackers they've brought in to speed development up.