Just as I'd expected then.. :/
Just as I'd expected then.. :/
The UK gets worse each and every day. I'm glad I'm no longer there
Woodo
So like.. what happened after all this?
Indie Direct today showed games from artists who used to sell NFTs and a game that seems to be problematic behind the scenes but no longer spoken about? π€
Screenshot thread of @NagaiIndustries on Twitter/X, that has now been deleted. Tweet 1: Hi, everyone! Here are some unpleasant insights into inKONBINI's development. Please, read the full thread and save these notes before they're gone. It's time some things were said. @IGN @Polygon @Kotaku @PCGamer @RockPaperShot @gamespot @Eurogamer @jasconschrier @patrickklepek There are 6 images total, including this one. This has been 1 of 6.
Tweet thread of @NagaiIndustries continued. This is image 2 of 6. Tweet 2: To be clear, this thread isn't intended to harm the developers, who are mostly victims of the situation themselves. The only person this calls out is Nagai Industries' Studio Head: Dima Kluev, aka Dima Shen. Tweet 3: The public persona Dima projects -- that of a passionate developer and a die-hard Shenmue fan -- couldn't be further from the truth. The reality is far more toxic and disturbing. Tweet 4: Having seen him operate up close over the years, I feel obligated to expose him as a ruthless opportunist with a Machiavellian mindset and a toxic leadership style. Tweet 5: Harsh management isn't new to the game industry. But there's a common hope that indie studios avoid the worst of what plagues AAA development. Tweet 6: Indie teams are often viewed as havens of creativity, collaboration, and flat hierarchies. That might be true elsewhere, but not at Nagai Industries. Tweet 7: For years, this small team of around a dozen developers has endured a deeply dysfunctional workplace that mirrors some of AAA's worst practices. There are 6 images total, including this one. This has been 2 of 6.
Tweet thread of @NagaiIndustries continued. This is image 3 of 6. Tweet 8: From needlessly long meetings (only recently scrapped), to extreme bureaucracy, micromanagement, public humiliation, and verbal abuse -- all coming from one person at the top. Tweet 9: It's also worth noting that employees at the studio don't receive any share of the game's profits -- something many would expect from a smaller indie team. Most are significantly underpaid, with average monthly salaries around $1,250. Tweet 10: On multiple occasions, Dima Shen (whose chosen alias coincidentally translates to "God") dismissed others' input entirely. He frequently declared his own opinion as superior in ways that were both arrogant and demeaning. Tweet 11: This wasn't just strict management. It was blatant mistreatment. You don't expect to be devalued in any workplace -- let alone in an indie studio meant to foster support. Tweet 12: He never walked back his language or tone. No apologies. No self-reflection. A typical response to feedback: "That's how I talk. You don't like it? That's not my problem." That's what people heard -- in private and in public. There are 6 images total, including this one. This has been 3 of 6.
Tweet thread of @NagaiIndustries continued. This is image 4 of 6. Tweet 13: He also had no hesitation in cutting people loose -- whether they were burnt out, disagreed with him, or both. Many of you admire the visual style of the game, which has arguably been one of its main draws so far. Tweet 14: What you may not know is that the original artist and creative director was removed from the project shortly after the visual foundation was completed. Shen dismissed her without offering credit, residuals, or any future involvement. She's refused contact with him ever since. Tweet 15: Another accomplished artist, who led visual work on the game's announcement teaser, was also discarded after delivery. (Shen "let" him stay listed at the studio's LinkedIn, so he could keep their housing until he lands another job.) Let that sink in. Tweet 16: At times, team members were told to stop working with no warning or quietly replaced without notice. Some woke up to find access revoked, removed from chats, and often left completely unaware of their actual status at the studio. Tweet 17: This wasn't just clumsy communication -- it was a deliberate pattern. A system where decisions were made behind closed doors, with zero transparency or respect. There are 6 images total, including this one. This has been 4 of 6.
You can delete the thread on twitter but you know what? The internet is forever. Not to mention, screenshots are a thing.
Responses disabled as I am just sharing the now deleted tweet thread.
Post 1 of 2. Images 1-4.
#inKONBINI #DimaShen #DimaKluev #IndieGame #Indie
Linux is so strange and confusing π
An illustration of a cat eating a fish on top of a background photograph through a door's keyhole
There's somebody at the door with a present! ππ±
Amazing, when can I play? π
Looks cool! Is that a fennec fox with a sword? π
Have to admit though I read the logo as "always us" π
Looking forward to seeing what you're cooking!
Perfect days! I've been to the house in Tokyo :D
Absolutely beautiful radio, but I think its from 1959!
Super smart!
Holy moly its so beautiful
I went to meet the 'Rockstar 31', the developers who were suddenly fired from their work on GTA 6 for what the studio has described as gross misconduct.
That's not what the workers call it though. They have another couple of words they prefer to use: union busting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9nO...
Aha! I just knew it had to be one of the inspirations! :D
Best of luck!
Nobody is stopping you π
It's definitely the one that gets the most social media traction usually!
Have several projects I started but idk which one I truly want to work on...
Bao visited somewhere pretty cool
And yes, the "Snow Cone" reflections are wrong :P
Is anyone hungry for a food-themed, retro-inspired action RPG? π
ATTENTION: π’π’π’
Grab your B.I.T Devices, Net Detectives! π±
It's time to save the internet!
βοΈBerserk B.I.T.S is releasing November 20th!βοΈ
With a Brand New Trailer!!
(shares appreciated π)
+Try the demo and wishlist wishlist wishlist today!
Oh no!?! π
Gamescom tomorrow! π
Off on an adventure! βοΈ
Made some stuff using pictures I took IRL and turned them into textures :)
Ain't that an understatement π
I guess i should look into that game!