Allegations of a toxic, oppressive workplace culture at Nintendo's US branch have come by way of a recent exposé. This is not the first time that the famous gaming company has been accused of unethical or controversial corporate practices, with a former employee accusing Nintendo of America of union-busting just last month.
The past few years have been enlightening for many on the outside looking into the gaming industry. There have been numerous severe and disturbing allegations against massive games companies like Ubisoft and Activision Blizzard, the latter of which is still embroiled in a class-action lawsuit surrounding an alleged culture of abuse, sexism, racism, and exploitation. Toxic work environments within the world of gaming also seem to run rampant, as it seems that the number of AAA studios that force employees to crunch or enforce strict, unreasonable rules outnumber those that don't. Nintendo is one major company that has managed to hold onto a more wholesome and ethical image, with most of its recent controversies surrounding baffling or unpopular decisions like the heavily criticized new Nintendo Switch Online features.
This may not be the case any longer, as IGN recently published an exhaustive report that compiles numerous testimonials from current and former Nintendo of America employees. The problems outlined in these testimonials are numerous, but some of the most common patterns center on the company allegedly taking advantage of part-time and contract employees, enforcing overly strict attendance policies, and the formation of a corporate structure that promotes obfuscation, deceit, and confusion. Some of the more disturbing accounts detail claims that temp workers had their contracts terminated for attending loved ones' funerals and that employees would be heavily discouraged from being away from their desks for any reason, even short bathroom breaks.
The report from IGN is extensive and includes comments from former NOA president Reggie Fils-Aimé, but overall it paints a picture of a highly toxic and unappealing work environment that clashes with Nintendo's reputation. Companies like Nintendo are being put under the microscope amidst the ongoing Activision Blizzard lawsuit and other harrowing games industry stories, so this report might be seen as an inevitability to some. These allegations come from multiple different sources, some of whom no longer work for Nintendo, which lends them credence.
Time will tell if more accusations against Nintendo surface and if the company will take any steps to combat these claims. It's clear that the games industry at large has a problem with how employees are treated, in studios across the globe, and unfortunately it's not too unlikely that these allegations have veracity, no matter how family-friendly and affable Nintendo's public image may appear to consumers.
Source: IGN