Lost its way - Game Designer LAI Games Employee Review

The upper management shows interest in it's employees and their personal development. Each department is comprised of a fairly small team, which can make it easier to build relationships and be set flexible goals. Standard 8-5 schedule for most entry level positions.

Though most managers are experienced in the industry and their field, many lack basic managerial ability or leadership skills. Personally, my current manager has a very traditional mindset to what a work day should look like which eliminates the flexibility I had been given under my previous manager in this company. Turnover rates are low, though that is more of a result of the size of the company and not the general level of employee morale.

-Day-to-day work environment is generally positive and easy to be in. Team members are approachable and collaborative. -Creative roles have room to execute and bring ideas to life, especially in marketing and product-facing work. -Exposure to multiple parts of the business (product, marketing, sales) can help build a well-rounded skill set. -Leadership is accessible on a surface level, and communication is not overly bureaucratic. -The industry itself (arcade/amusement) is unique and can be genuinely interesting to work in.

-Long-term vision and strategic direction feel inconsistent or unclear. There is a lack of cohesive, forward-looking planning. -Compensation is well below market standards for comparable roles, even when factoring in the niche/legacy nature of the industry. Pay does not consistently reflect the level of skill, output, or cross-functional responsibility expected from employees. -Repeated investment into oversaturated or poorly validated markets, often with underdeveloped execution plans. -Projects are frequently pursued without full commitment or proper resourcing, leading to reactive decision-making. -Resources (time, budget, inventory) are misallocated, with capital tied up in products that do not move effectively. -Employee growth, advancement, and long-term development are not prioritized in a meaningful way. -Layoffs or role cuts appear to be a downstream effect of earlier strategic missteps rather than external necessity. -There is a pattern of “winging it” after significant investment has already been made, instead of disciplined planning upfront. -High-level decisions do not always reflect feedback or insights from teams closer to the customer or execution layer.