Life is Strange Developer Deck Nine Faces Allegations of Toxic Workplace Culture

Employees at Deck Nine, the studio behind Life is Strange: True Colors, have come forward with allegations of a toxic work environment, citing instances of hate speech, poor management, and a culture that tolerates abuse and crunch. According to reports, over a dozen current and former staff members have shared their experiences, including instances of Nazi imagery and racist memes being included in the game, which went unaddressed by management for an extended period. The studio's leadership has been criticized for being slow to respond to complaints, protecting problematic employees, and perpetuating a culture of low pay, long hours, and poor treatment of female staff members. Despite claims of prioritizing diversity and employee welfare, the studio's actions have been called into question, with many employees feeling that their concerns were ignored or dismissed. The allegations have led to a formal investigation and the implementation of anti-hate speech training, but the studio's reputation has been severely impacted by the revelations.