Episode 160: The Tragic Work Week
This week, Dylan is aided by the impeccable talents of experience designer Nelson Johnson and video game attorney Noah Downs. Together, they tackle a big topic: the conversation revolving around Rockstar’s labor practices on the heels of Dan Houser stating that the team worked 100 hour weeks during the development of Red Dead Redemption II. We discuss top level management’s role in building a culture of overwork and blind acceptance of the treatment of their developers, and we imagine what the future could possibly look like with an organized work force. We also talk about horse crashes, marble streams, Noah’s time at TwitchCon, and Nelson’s new podcast, the Video Game Book Club. Games include Red Dead Redemption II, Marvel’s Spider-Man, and Half-Life. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!