I had SO much hope. - Anonymous employee Rockstar Games Employee Review

2.0
Apr 8, 2024
Anonymous employee
Recommend
Business Outlook

Pros

The medical benefits are fantastic, knowledgeable coworkers, just about everyone is excited, and working on the same goal - making the best product we can.

Cons

I previously left & re-joined Rockstar with high hopes and enthusiasm, believing it would be a stepping stone for my career growth. However, my time back at the company turned out to be the biggest regret of my professional life. The company's primary focus appears to be solely on stakeholders/revenue, with little regard for the well-being of its employees. The lack of value placed on both internal and external stakeholders is evident in every aspect of the organization. One of the most glaring issues is the disorganized structure of the company. The communication and updates are shockingly poor, leaving employees in the dark about crucial information. Teams feel demoralized, slighted, lied to (especially after the 5/day a week RTO mandate). Some were hired with the promise of a hybrid schedule, only to be told they have to work weekdays in the office resulting in a noticeable lack of desire to excel in their daily tasks. The leadership team, unfortunately, is both inexperienced, unorganized, and sometimes grandfathered in (from "the before-times" as some have called it). Their approach is not only tone-deaf but also sloppy, leaving employees feeling unsupported and undervalued. The head of our department didn't talk to many of us until it was time to have a chat about my depature, and end of the year bonuses which they read off a list like we are simply numbers/task. Very impersonal. This stark contrast in expectations and actions highlights the lack of empathy and understanding within the leadership team. Communication breakdowns are rampant, with political games playing a significant role in day-to-day operations. This creates an unhealthy work environment, contributing to the overall dissatisfaction among employees. There are zero company townhalls for the upper manager to get a feel of how the coworkers are dealing with things, barely any coworker gatherings to get to know others from different departments, no Summer Fridays are non-existent, but they rely on "Core Hours", "CRUNCH" does still exist, and to top it off there aren't many places to eat your lunch which makes you feel like you eat/work at the same time at your desk. Zero common areas outside of your workspace. Compared to other companies, I'm shocked to see this. There is also a palpable lack of trust in employees. Every project is ran through the ringer with multiple people critiquing actionable items which confuses you which feedback you're suppose to follow. In conclusion, my experience at Rockstar has been nothing short of disappointing unfortunately. This move, which I had initially looked forward to the most in my career, turned out to be a profound letdown. Amazing games, but I'd rather stay a fan than work for the company. The company's prioritization of revenue over its 'Rockstars', combined with its organizational and leadership issues, make it an undesirable place to work or collaborate with.

Explore other reviews about Rockstar Games

5.0
Apr 30, 2026
Recommend
Business Outlook

Pros

Innovation and technology is the best

Cons

Hectic days and crunching is bad

2
2.0
Jun 26, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
Business Outlook

Pros

-The main pros of working here are there are many talented folks who are passionate about what they do. -Free lunch and work events were always pretty fun - A once in a lifetime opportunity to work on the biggest games of all time.

Cons

Rockstar takes advantage of the passionate people they have working for them. They use the brand as an excuse to not treat their employees with any dignity or respect. It's also worth mentioning that microagressions and misogyny is a bigger problem than what's being reported here. There were many times where I felt like my voice wasn't heard because of it. Leadership is also a the source of a lot of friction. Many of them are out of touch and let people who have worked their for a long time get away with abusing their direct reports and other lower on the totum pole colleagues. There are people who work here that have been reportedly for unprofessional behavior multiple times but don't receive any serious pushback from leadership. It's a very cliquey, fear based environment masked behind a fake sense of a forward thinking company. There's a lot of information withheld from people who are directly impacted by it, which eventually caused me to mistrust the company and leadership. I have mixed feelings because I enjoyed working on the games and there are many talent people who are being held back by a company that refuses to think differently.

1
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