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Build a Rocket Boy

Is this your company?

Perfect example of how 'meritocracy' is a doomed farce - Anonymous employee Build a Rocket Boy Employee Review

1.0
29 Mar 2025
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

You might meet some amazing people on the frontline, in that small window between joining and one/both of you being made redundant with 24-hour notice.

Cons

It's a sad biproduct of capitalism that most of us will end up working beneath the petulent children of the elite, who inevitably fail upwards through life. This company is the worst example of this I've ever witnessed. The upper management openly admit their goal is a culture of fear, and consistently pass all blame off to 'the lower orders'. I'm still amazed at some of the company policies designed specifically designed to protect the fragile ego of the CEO. For the day to day; it's a constant battle between talented developers and clueless 'leadership', kneejerking like ragdolls from GTA4 to the whims of the CEO, without any regard to what would actually make a game good. Said CEO is the type to actually read this, between making delusional 5-star reviews; so I say "Hi there! Grow up, accept responsibility for your own failures for once in your life, and apologise to those unfortunate enough to still be relying on you! Also, I'm amazed GTAV ever even got released in spite of you"

Explore other reviews about Build a Rocket Boy

1.0
21 Jan 2024
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

A stepping stone into the industry. BARB is an opportunity to start in video gaming, collect experience, and move on.

Cons

Political Drama, drama, drama. There have been multiple changes of studio leadership, countless times of department restructures, individuals are in one day and then disappear under 'mutual agreements' to never return. Psychological safety is at an all-time low, due to entire departments getting caught up in the political blast-zone between the constant power struggle of leadership. Culture war. BARB cannot define its culture, because leadership constantly breaks culture definitions. What are the cornerstones of BARB? Bullying. The definition is: To not be given credit, being set up for failure, constant undermining. It's all rife in BARB and if the leaders do this, it trickles down into management, departments, and projects. Keeping up with the misinformation is hard. Knowing who knows what can, and cannot be discussed is a minefield. There is studio facing 'information', the reality, and 'leadership facing truth'. With little to no communication in the studio, staff do not believe what information they are given, as it will likely change in a week or less. CRUNCH. This is a studio in full crunch for months, veiling as "focus time/bug-bash!/do your damn job". You do not get overtime, as you are salaried (on a very low salary for industry). You will struggle to take holiday, this is due to the constant crunch. Little to no notice is given for changing timelines, be prepared to cancel your approved holiday because leadership cannot plan ahead more than 5 days in advance. There are some great and very talented people working at BARB but leadership does not take people's professional (previous or current) experience into account. Most of the time you are just doing what you are told and you best do it quietly.

42
1.0
4 Mar 2025
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

There is nothing positive here

Cons

The most toxic unethical senior leaders I've ever encountered

28
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