Metro: Last Light dev thanks Rubin for exposing working conditions

4A Games dev thanks Rubin for highlighting harsh working conditions for Metro: Last Light

[NYC_Gamer]

THQ is a piece of shit and i'm happy they were forced to close

[Giru017]

I'm curious as to why you would say that. 4A started out being a small Ukraine dev studio, if anything, it's evident how THQ tried to FIX and IMPROVE working conditions.
If I recall correctly, 4A was acquired by THQ in 2009 and Rubin went to visit and improve the place in 2012.

"...thanked Rubin for being “the only THQ President” to visit the team in the Ukraine, and noted the battle to turn around the ailing company was an uphill one at best, saying Rubin only had a few months to “fix the situation”."

Most studios don't give a damn about eastern European and Indian dev studios, leaving them to their own devices. Of course the salaries will be different from a UK based studio, that's simply how it works in any industry or business. Once 4A earned their stripes with Metro 2033, they were given the treatment, raises and praise they deserved, not sooner.

Also, please note that Prokhorov is CLEARLY exaggerating here, since GameInformer showed their studios some time back and it was hardly as bad as they make it sound here... Just putting some perspective on these "sob story" devs who ended up including EA/Activision like DLC tactics into their game. And before you go on to blame the publishers for this, please do some research.

[NYC_Gamer]

THQ didn't even care enough to promote Metro:2033 or put enough funds behind the project..How could THQ treat 4A games like that?these are half of the dudes who created STALKER which sold couple of million copies..I'm happy THQ is dead and no longer exist..

THQ's Bilson: Metro 2033 'wasn't properly nurtured

"I'll give you the straight answer: It wasn't properly supported in all areas," Bilson said frankly. "It was a cool deal," he explained of the publishing agreement with developer 4A Games, "where it was inexpensive and they were doing their stuff."

"Did the game need polish in certain areas? Yes." he admitted. "So when I say it wasn't fully supported, it was product development and marketing that didn't support it the way it should've been." Bilson described Metro 2033 as "an orphan stepchild," saying that "a great marketer picked it up with four months to go and did what he could with four months to go, but it wasn't properly nurtured by marketing."

THQ admits they didn't support Metro:2033...

http://www.joystiq.com/2011...

[Giru017]

I'll agree that they didn't market and promote it enough, true.
It's also true that Metro 2033 is hardly the most "optimized" game... For most people that bought it, it was benchmark heaven, not a game. Running it was a pain back then (and even today for many mid-range PC users). Yes, STALKER was a great franchise, but it was hardly revolutionary in what it did.

Many devs over there, like Action Forms, another Ukraine studio (Cryostasis) have much more constricted workspaces and have yet to have their breakthrough hit like these guys had with STALKER and then Metro, and don't complain about the conditions. Not to sound like an ass, but living there, that's the conditions you're gonna be working under. Living in a 3rd would country myself at the time, it annoys me to no end when people think their entitled to work conditions or salaries like in 1st world countries, despite the work quality, deadlines, etc not being the same. Sorry for ranting, maybe it's a unique complaint, but I, for one, would gladly embrace the help of an external parent company (like THQ did) and give that blanket of security and exposition that local releases simply cannot get.

Was Metro 2033 market the same as Saint's Row or Darksiders? No. But these were games with a market in mind from the get go with strict development deadlines, huge earnings and, as such, paid studios accordingly. If anything, these studios should be grateful THQ put them on the map at all, which is more than any talented studio could ask for.

[3-4-5]

The HIGHWAYS in Ukraine have hundreds of potholes in them....people drive at like 2 mph to get around them.

Ukraine is not a very well taken care of country...they can't even take care of the basics so there is no way they are going to get good conditions for making games.

[ShabbaRanks]

Kudos to those devs, they whooped Crytek’s ass cuz imo Metro has much better graphics then Crysis and 4A don’t have the same working environments that they have in north America.

[Eldyraen]

I think 4A and Crytek both did a fantastic job and hard for me to pick which looks better as different styles. Metro though has better atmosphere IMO (has the look, sound, and "feel" better in other words) and more varied assets which is what really makes it stand out.

In terms of gameplay and story though Metro wins it for me by a landslide. C3 is sort of Michael Bay flicks in a sense--they can be good fun and look great but lastng impression isn't the same as some other movies. Metro is the type of game I will remember for longer and in greater detail. Doesn't mean I can't enjoy both though and if Crytek wants to impress us next time they have to pull out all the stops.

Still, proves even in tough work conditions what a truly determined and talented group of people can achieve. Hopefully they get some well deserved love from Koch Media (which could sound quite... wrong now that I think about it... had to edit and add Media just because).

[1nsomniac]

How can they say the video didn't match up with what he described? There cramped together sitting side by side for a multimillion dollar work force that's shocking!

You get more personal space working at your local call centre!

[Sketchy_Galore]

Damn, I don't even want to know what a Ukranian worker considers harsh working conditions.

[Eldyraen]

Still better than a Bangladeshi textile shop--sad disaster that.

[GFahim]

Bangladesh ftw!

[isyourhouseonfire]

Will this game even resemble Call of Duty? If not, then they are DOA.

[aliengmr]

And the award for dumbest comment today goes to...

isyourhouseonfire!! (applause)

[BludoDaSmelly]

Hope Deep Silver gives them a bigger studio and more perks, decent break room ?