UPDATE:

Capping off a week during which Rockstar Game's New York team was unfavorably described as an Eye of Sauron overlooking its development studios, the company just posted some new editions to its wallpaper series.

The company entitled the three-image series: "The Eye Is Watching."

Earlier in the week, an anonymous ex-Rockstar employee described to MTV the dynamic between Rockstar's New York headquarters and satellite studios such as Rock Star San Diego, the development studio behind the upcoming Red Dead Redemption. They likened the New York office to "The Eye of Sauron" the watchful presence of the evil overlord in The Lord of the Rings.

Rockstar has had no comment for Kotaku regarding last week's allegations of unfair working conditions at the company. Those complaints were levied a week ago by an anonymous blogger claiming to represent disgruntled wives of overworked Rockstar San Diego employees. They were published on a Gamasutra user blog called "Rockstar Spouse" and were followed by other anonymous complaints that the development studio behind Red Dead Redemption, Rockstar San Diego, was experiencing an unprecedented run of mandatory and unhealthy crunch-time development. Some Internet commenters have countered, saying the Rockstar Spouse complaints pertain to common industry practices that are the price of making video games.

Kotaku sought new comment this morning from Rockstar about the validity of what appeared to be a leaked memo distributed by Rockstar management regarding those allegations. The company has not provided comment on that either.

That week of official public silence makes today's artwork the first public reference — however indirect — by the company to the Rockstar Spouse situation. There's a San Diego hook to the image. The domes in the shot appear to resemble those of the San Onofre nuclear power plant located just outside of San Diego, home city to the developers of Red Dead Redemption.

The wallpapers appeared as part of Rockstar's recurring series of desktop backgrounds available for download on the company' s official site.

IGDA: Regarding Overtime Concerns at Rockstar San Diego [IGDA]

Wives of Rockstar San Diego employees have collected themselves [Gamasutra]

Former Staffer Compares Rockstar NY To The Eye Of Sauron

Regarding the situation at Rockstar San Diego [RockstarWatch]

It seems like Rockstar's problem is piling up in a mess as rumour saying RDR and MP3 are facing problems.

It makes sense, only a company that puts so much work into their games can have an almost flawless list of games made from them. Of course for the workers there is something called "unions", which the GTA series appropriately has a lot of... because union is just slang for the mob according to Playboy X.

Workers should unionise.

meh... I remember working 90 hour weeks during submission time on MK vs DCU while at midway.. it was awesome.gamer620

[QUOTE="gamer620"]meh... I remember working 90 hour weeks during submission time on MK vs DCU while at midway.. it was awesome.allsystemsphai

[QUOTE="allsystemsphai"][QUOTE="gamer620"]meh... I remember working 90 hour weeks during submission time on MK vs DCU while at midway.. it was awesome.gamer620

Workers should unionise.

topgunmv

A similar thing happened with the American automotive industry. When unions formed, employees were enabled to put forth less effort and still keep their jobs. As a result, the quality of American automobiles declined. In Japan, for instance, where labor laws are much different (and where people take more pride in their work), if you don't perform your job to the best of your ability, you're out of work. The consumer wins.

I'm certainly not suggesting that employees of any kind should be mistreated or held to unreasonable standards--quite the opposite; however, according to some of the recent reports, it seems that talk of unions forming in the game industry are circling now. People need to do what they can to protect themselves, but such a union would certainly have a noticeable impact on the quality of games in the future, and probably not for the better.

Lol, there getting complained at by the man for being to hardcore.

Hah, 70 hour work weeks. The legal profession makes that look like dixie land. And that isn't even considered overtime.Vandalvideo

In some cases these workers make minimum wage. Are you willing to work 70 hour weeks and pull 30k a year?

[QUOTE="Vandalvideo"]Hah, 70 hour work weeks. The legal profession makes that look like dixie land. And that isn't even considered overtime.topgunmv

In some cases these workers make minimum wage. Are you willing to work 70 hour weeks and pull 30k a year?

[QUOTE="topgunmv"]

Workers should unionise.

Jared2720

A similar thing happened with the American automotive industry. When unions formed, employees were enabled to put forth less effort and still keep their jobs. As a result, the quality of American automobiles declined. In Japan, for instance, where labor laws are much different (and where people take more pride in their work), if you don't perform your job to the best of your ability, you're out of work. The consumer wins.

I'm certainly not suggesting that employees of any kind should be mistreated or held to unreasonable standards--quite the opposite; however, according to some of the recent reports, it seems that talk of unions forming in the game industry are circling now. People need to do what they can to protect themselves, but such a union would certainly have a noticeable impact on the quality of games in the future, and probably not for the better.

Poor car quality was a result of management decisions, labor just did what they were told. Don't believe what the lobbyists tell you on television.

[QUOTE="topgunmv"]

[QUOTE="Vandalvideo"]Hah, 70 hour work weeks. The legal profession makes that look like dixie land. And that isn't even considered overtime.Vandalvideo

In some cases these workers make minimum wage. Are you willing to work 70 hour weeks and pull 30k a year?

I read a study that claimed over the course of a lifetime, all debts considered, the total in pocket earnings of a janitor are greater than those of a doctor. Food for thought.

[QUOTE="Vandalvideo"]Hah, 70 hour work weeks. The legal profession makes that look like dixie land. And that isn't even considered overtime.topgunmv

In some cases these workers make minimum wage. Are you willing to work 70 hour weeks and pull 30k a year?

[QUOTE="topgunmv"]

[QUOTE="Vandalvideo"]Hah, 70 hour work weeks. The legal profession makes that look like dixie land. And that isn't even considered overtime.stereointegrity

In some cases these workers make minimum wage. Are you willing to work 70 hour weeks and pull 30k a year?

Point being?

[QUOTE="stereointegrity"][QUOTE="topgunmv"]

In some cases these workers make minimum wage. Are you willing to work 70 hour weeks and pull 30k a year?

topgunmv

Point being?

OMG. I hope when I become a programmer I won't have to pull this off too much. I thought they only did this in crunch time?

Whilst I cam empathize with the employees hmm, are they held there against there will ? No must be the answer...Are they free to quit and go look for a better job? Me thinks yes on that one.

Anyway, better for gamers if the people making the game want to be there doing the hard work so get it straightened out RS b/c selfishly :P I want RDR to be what you promised - Awesome !!!

[QUOTE="topgunmv"]

[QUOTE="Vandalvideo"]Hah, 70 hour work weeks. The legal profession makes that look like dixie land. And that isn't even considered overtime.stereointegrity

In some cases these workers make minimum wage. Are you willing to work 70 hour weeks and pull 30k a year?

How do you know how much they make there? Or are you talking about San Diego the citys minimum wage? Proffessinals are usually much more expesive than minimum wage.

70 hour work weeks? There are people out there who are forced to work more than that to make ends meet. If these people don't like the conditions, then they can just leave and find work elsewhere.

[QUOTE="stereointegrity"][QUOTE="topgunmv"]

In some cases these workers make minimum wage. Are you willing to work 70 hour weeks and pull 30k a year?

bad_fur_day

How do you know how much they make there? Or are you talking about San Diego the citys minimum wage? Proffessinals are usually much more expesive than minimum wage.

I don't know how much these individuals are making, but there are plenty of instances of professionals being extremely underpaid, especially in the game industry.

Untill we really know the specifics it's all a bunch of bull. How does 70hr weeks for 200k sound for lead programer, thats what he gets paid that much for.

In this type of economy they should be thanking whomever their God may be that they receive 70 hours work weeks, hell you could feed 3 families with that kind of bank, sure they may be worked to the bone but hell, I know people who would kill to work hours like that, probably decent pay on top of that too.Im_single

[QUOTE="stereointegrity"][QUOTE="topgunmv"]

In some cases these workers make minimum wage. Are you willing to work 70 hour weeks and pull 30k a year?

bad_fur_day

How do you know how much they make there? Or are you talking about San Diego the citys minimum wage? Proffessinals are usually much more expesive than minimum wage.

Untill we really know the specifics it's all a bunch of bull. How does 70hr weeks for 200k sound for lead programer, thats what he gets paid that much for.

bad_fur_day

That's brutal! No one should have to work a 70 hour week!mgkennedy5

[QUOTE="mgkennedy5"]
And due to poverty rates in North America... hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people are forced to work two or three jobs, for 60-80 hours a week just to make ends meet. These people are in a business that produces luxury items... if they feel they are being treated unfairly, they can just leave and find work elsewhere, because without a union, an employer can almost do whatever they want.

foxhound_fox

[QUOTE="bad_fur_day"]

Untill we really know the specifics it's all a bunch of bull. How does 70hr weeks for 200k sound for lead programer, thats what he gets paid that much for.

foxhound_fox

UPDATE for how Rockstart responds to the allegations....

In this type of economy they should be thanking whomever their God may be that they receive 70 hours work weeks, hell you could feed 3 families with that kind of bank, sure they may be worked to the bone but hell, I know people who would kill to work hours like that, probably decent pay on top of that too.Im_single

[QUOTE="gamer620"]

[QUOTE="allsystemsphai"]Interesting, what was your position?allsystemsphai

In this type of economy they should be thanking whomever their God may be that they receive 70 hours work weeks, hell you could feed 3 families with that kind of bank, sure they may be worked to the bone but hell, I know people who would kill to work hours like that, probably decent pay on top of that too.Im_single

I don't know why people call americans lazy cause they sure work some crazy hours over there. I've done some 50h a week and it already feels like your life is slowly being sucked away. This is the friggin 2010...I demand robot servants for all!ManicAce

Update for

Rockstar Has Some Fun With "Eye Of Sauron" Comparison, Still Won't Comment