Unprofessional / Toxic leadership that embodies the worst stereotypes of the gaming industry
Pros
- Talented coworkers with an incredible density of talent - Pay is excellent - Remote work is an option, which is increasingly rare in the industry - As a private company, Epic has the freedom to innovate in ways few others can
Cons
- Crunch is constant and not just a temporary phase. It’s deeply embedded in the culture. Be aware! The Marketing Director even joked about it, comparing working on Fortnite in Q1 versus Q4 with a meme of Kate Winslet young and then old in Titanic. With employees sacrificing their health and family life, this tone-deaf humor is hard to swallow. - Executives are incompetent and act as yes-men to Tim Sweeney because it’s a safe, well-paid job. When they want to try something new, they often have their team members pitch the idea, but won’t hesitate to throw them under the bus if Tim doesn’t like it. While the leadership layer beneath them changes frequently, the execs remain, taking no initiative and simply following orders. - Micromanagement is nearly comical. Executives need to approve everything in the name of 'moving fast', yet they get frustrated when employees don’t take initiative despite having created this stifling culture themselves. - They frequently belittle employees who are working extremely hard, but always soften the criticism with: 'Don’t take it personally, okay?'. In particular, the COO even seems to take pleasure in belittling others. - Backstabbing among mid-level managers is rampant. You never know if your colleagues or stakeholders really have your back. People will throw anyone under the bus to avoid blame. - It’s an old boys' club of predominantly white men centered around Tim. If you're a woman, you’ll need to act like a man. DE&I is definitely not a priority.