GTA 6 developers apparently not so keen
GTA 6developer Rockstar Games are reportedly ending hybrid working and requiring employees to return to the office full-time, with a view to being in “the best position to deliver the nextGrand Theft Autoat the level of quality and polish we know it requires, along with a publishing roadmap that matches the scale and ambition of the game.” That’s allegedly from an email to staff sent by head of publishing Jenn Kolbe.
The report comes fromBloomberg, according to whom many Rockstar employees are unhappy with the decision. Some Rockstar staff have subsequentlytweeted about(and thus, tacitly corroborated) the news in a less-than-enthusiastic fashion.
Ending remote working for productivity reasons is more questionable. While the situation varies between people and between workplaces, there isplenty of evidenceto the effect that fully remote or hybrid working makes people more productive, while also making jobs more accessible for disabled people.
Rockstar’s plan to end hybrid working leaves employees who need or would prefer to work remotely in a difficult position. When Activision tried the same thing with QA staff last year, the ABK Workers Alliancebranded it a “soft layoff” for anybody who can’t return to the office. There’s also the argument that managers want staff on-site simply because it makes it easier to overwork them - Rockstar have a track record for crunching on projects, thoughthey have taken steps in recent years to avoid this.
