Imo, the part of this whole controversy that’s really been danced around is how much of the disputed $250m bonus is developer bonus and how much is executive bonus. I would be very interested in more details around this breakdown and eligibility if anyone has seen it.
As far as I’ve seen, the only indicator that this was anything other than an executive bonus dispute was one executive claiming they were totally going to share it with the rest of the team after the shit went down and the story was in the press. Sorry if I find that claim less than reputable. What Krafton did was undeniably greedy and illegal, but how worked up am I supposed to get about executive payouts? It seems like the other employees weren’t in the sale language at all, and there’s a very real possibility they may end up getting larger bonuses now that the executives have resorted to using their development team as a tool to garner additional public sympathy.
how worked up am I supposed to get about executive payouts
I think this is the wrong mentality looking at it. Regardless of payout (which I do agree should be going to employees as well which according to most sources do seem to agree that at least some will be going to the employees as well), imagine the precedent this would imply:
Larger companies being allowed to “agree” to terms as part of an acquisition, and then once they have control over it just decide “yea you know what I don’t need to pay this” and then not doing so. That was my main issue regarding this. The concept of a company agreeing to terms in order to acquire a company. Then deciding after the fact that since they regretted their decision that they just shouldn’t need to uphold their end of the legally binding deal put a massive sour taste in my mouth.
Honestly I would have been just as satisfied with a ruling stating that unknown world’s acquisition was invalid due to the EPA breakage and therefore is now its own independent studio again, but has to refund the 500m (minus whatever amount the court decides to use as compensation/retribution that Krafton had paid for the acquisition, and completely throw the 250m bonus out the window.
Imo, the part of this whole controversy that’s really been danced around is how much of the disputed $250m bonus is developer bonus and how much is executive bonus. I would be very interested in more details around this breakdown and eligibility if anyone has seen it.
As far as I’ve seen, the only indicator that this was anything other than an executive bonus dispute was one executive claiming they were totally going to share it with the rest of the team after the shit went down and the story was in the press. Sorry if I find that claim less than reputable. What Krafton did was undeniably greedy and illegal, but how worked up am I supposed to get about executive payouts? It seems like the other employees weren’t in the sale language at all, and there’s a very real possibility they may end up getting larger bonuses now that the executives have resorted to using their development team as a tool to garner additional public sympathy.
I think this is the wrong mentality looking at it. Regardless of payout (which I do agree should be going to employees as well which according to most sources do seem to agree that at least some will be going to the employees as well), imagine the precedent this would imply:
Larger companies being allowed to “agree” to terms as part of an acquisition, and then once they have control over it just decide “yea you know what I don’t need to pay this” and then not doing so. That was my main issue regarding this. The concept of a company agreeing to terms in order to acquire a company. Then deciding after the fact that since they regretted their decision that they just shouldn’t need to uphold their end of the legally binding deal put a massive sour taste in my mouth.
Honestly I would have been just as satisfied with a ruling stating that unknown world’s acquisition was invalid due to the EPA breakage and therefore is now its own independent studio again, but has to refund the 500m (minus whatever amount the court decides to use as compensation/retribution that Krafton had paid for the acquisition, and completely throw the 250m bonus out the window.