After a recent reveal by gaming publication Kotaku about the controversy behind the popular gaming studio Naughty Dog, another individual has come forward with some very interesting information about the same organization as well.
Naughty Dog controversy new info revealed
The former employee of the gaming studio was an ex-animator for certain games like Uncharted 4 and The Last of Us Part II. He actually confirmed what the recent report revealed about the studio. That person was Jonathan Cooper, who left the group last year. He is also an industry veteran and has done a lot of work for other things aside from the gaming studio.
Cooper revealed in a Twitter post that the studio actually threatened to withhold his last pay unless he signs some document that would make him shut up about what they were doing there. This was outright illegal and he claimed the gaming studio stopped after he proved he was right about this move.
This guy did confess that he only done 46 hours a week together with the other story animators, but he was a witness to the big crunchtimes that other teams would have to do. This actually led to one of his friends to go to a hospital after this bad treatment.
Yikes. Kotaku also reported that this was the major reason why most of the designers for Uncharted 4 left the studio after it was released. If it was true, then it is no wonder a lot of the members left.
Cooper revealed that if there was a more senior team developing The Last of Us Part II, it would have shipped a year ago.
The gaming studio has stayed silent after the reveals, but Neil Druckman is still giving praises to the work of the studio. Here is what he wrote in a tweet:
Even after years of working on it, I’m still blown away by the animation in Part II. We have one of, if not the best, animation team in the industry – both in raw animation skill and technical knowledge. Can’t wait for you to experience their incredible work.
Is Naughty Dog in trouble? I don’t know since no one from the studio would open up. Hopefully, a change would be coming soon.
Thanks PlayStationLifestyle.