Best job I've had in a long time - Lead Artist Crystal Dynamics Employee Review

I actually really loved working here! It was my favorite place of all the companies I've worked for. I felt trusted to make creative decisions, the work/life balance was amazing, the benefits were the best I've had, there were fun perks and swag, I felt surrounded by talented coworkers, I was happy with my salary which was adjusted each year for inflation at the very least, and I felt like career growth was more possible here than other places I've been.

Unfortunately I was affected by layoffs, which was a real bummer. There are some really bad decision-makers up top (below C-suite); people who control creative direction of projects. They are extremely slow to make decisions and change their minds constantly and there are often too many cooks in the kitchen which results in large project pivots, unclear direction in art/gameplay/narrative, and more than anything, causes sooo much wasted time and money. The company at large would be in a much better place financially if they had better creative leadership. There can also be a little too much "Get hyped cause we're the best company ever! We change people's lives! This company is so special" kinda talk in the all-hands meetings. Like, come on, it's still a video game company...they will 100% lay you off without blinking if they feel financial strain Also, something specific: they haven't done them in a while but when they do an all-company event (flying everyone in to one place) it's super awkward that they make all employees try to solve company problems, instead of working with their teams on their projects or do team building. For example, when they did their Seattle get-together they made us all responsible for coming up with ways the company could profit from our empty/underused studio space, debate what communication programs we should renew licenses for, stuff like that - it was just weird. *This con section looks large, but I really did love working here! It just takes less words to say what's good versus what isn't

Remote work flexibility (at the time): The remote environment provided a strong level of flexibility and supported a healthy work-life balance. Competitive benefits: The company offered strong health insurance and overall benefits that were a positive aspect of employment. Passionate teams: Many employees were dedicated, talented, and committed to creating quality work despite organizational challenges.

Lack of stability: The company experienced ongoing uncertainty, with frequent changes and layoffs creating concerns around long-term stability and employee confidence. Leadership and decision-making: There were concerns around strategic decisions from studio leadership, including choices that impacted team structure, morale, and overall direction. Communication and trust: While leadership often communicated openly during team meetings, some actions and outcomes did not always align with those messages, which impacted trust. Strategic focus: Creative direction sometimes lacked clear focus, and that uncertainty appeared to stem from broader leadership decisions. Resource management: Increased outsourcing appeared to be used as a solution to address challenges, which created concerns around internal team investment and long-term strategy.