Since being released on October 8 for Switch, Metroid Dread has been wowing fans, particularly with its return to the 2D side-scrolling aesthetic that many remember from the classic titles. With this latest installment in the Metroid series breaking sales records, it's perhaps a game that has been long overdue for release. However, there have been some repercussions which have come as a result of the development cycle, and some ex-employees have been aiming their ire at the game's studio MercurySteam.

In a recent report, which cites a Spanish gaming news website, some of the development team who worked on Metroid Dread, and have since left the company, are accusing the studio of fostering a "negative" and "stressful" workplace environment. While the original story does not have any comment from current staff members, a number of ex programmers and artists have come forward about their time working on the game. One person described it as "quite chaotic" while another said they felt the company did not value its staff. One programmer said they had to do 120 cinematics in a short period of time, which they said was "too big" to accomplish.

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This news comes just days after some Metroid Dread staff were left out of the game's end credit sequence. A few on the development team noticed that their names were not included in the rolling credits, expressing their upset at seeing their work in the game itself, but not being credited for it. According to the studio, MercurySteam's official policy is that staff need to have been with the company for at least a quarter of the game's development cycle, though it did say it made exceptions for "exceptional contributions."

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There has been a lot of backlash aimed at large studios and publishers lately, with crunch times for Diablo 2: Resurrected being described as "brutal," not to mention the harassment suits that have been filed against some of the bigger conglomerates. With the latest accusations being thrown at MercurySteam, in which previous staff members are saying they were subjected to "improper treatment," these powerful companies are having a lot to answer for.

Metroid Dread is considered one of the best titles on new Switch OLED, and it's not the games themselves that are to blame, but the studios and the way they treat staff. What these programmers are doing is highlighting an ongoing and problematic trend within the industry in which people are being asked to work in unhealthy environments while spending a long time developing a game.

Metroid Dread is available now on Nintendo Switch.

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Source: Nintendo Life, Anait Games (Spanish)