Lab Zero Games, the L.A.-based developer behind the popular games Skullgirls and Indivisible, is the latest games studio to become embroiled in a controversy over its workplace culture. Multiple employees have resigned in response to behavior by the studio’s head, Mike “MikeZ” Zaimont.
What happened? A number of staff have announced on Twitter that they are leaving Lab Zero. They include creative director Mariel Kinuko Cartwright, senior animator Jonathan Kim, art producer Brian Jun, senior animator Jebus Matoi, and senior artist Jessica Allen.
Why the exodus? In a word: MikeZ. Many of the ex-employees tweeted similar statements detailing hostile and inappropriate behavior by their former boss. Cartwright gave some examples: “He doesn’t respect employees who don’t work at all hours. He gets hostile and talks down to people. He makes inappropriate jokes about his dick … I tolerated years of sexual comments about my body and clothes, uncomfortable jokes, unwanted hugs.”