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GamesBeat reported that current and former Moon Studios developers described the workplace as “oppressive,” citing concerns about language, criticism, communication, crunch and turnover. The accounts are allegations attributed to interviewees—not findings by a court or regulator. The report, by Dean Takahashi, was published March 18, 2022, and updated June 19, 2025.
What GamesBeat reported
Dean Takahashi’s GamesBeat investigation was based on interviews with current and former Moon Studios developers from different parts of the company and with different levels of experience. It presents their accounts of the workplace, rather than an official determination of what happened.
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One interviewee, identified only as a game developer, told GamesBeat: “It’s an oppressive workplace, for sure.” The report attributed a range of concerns to employees, including:
- Offensive jokes and language.
- Harsh criticism in public chats, along with feedback employees described as unclear or conflicting.
- Crunch that interviewees linked to changing project scope and deadlines.
- Communication challenges in a distributed workplace spanning time zones.
- High turnover, as well as employee descriptions of stress and burnout.
These are accounts reported by GamesBeat and attributed to its interviewees. The material does not establish independently verified rates of turnover or burnout.
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How Moon Studios’ founders responded
Co-founders Thomas Mahler and Gennadiy Korol disputed that the experiences described in the questions put to them represented the team or former employees generally. In their response, they said they wanted a distributed studio with a vibrant culture and shared rewards, acknowledged that they were not perfect, and said they regretted making anyone uncomfortable and would strive to improve.
They also said they had “more than 80” current team members. That number is the founders’ own statement in the response reproduced by GamesBeat, not an independently verified workforce figure. Their response included this statement: “We are not perfect but we deeply care about our talent and are constantly working hard to improve.”
What is established—and what is not
| Statement | Who it comes from | What it establishes |
|---|---|---|
| Employees described the workplace as oppressive and raised concerns about language, feedback, crunch, communication and turnover. | Current and former developers interviewed by GamesBeat. | These are reported employee accounts, not adjudicated findings. |
| The accounts did not represent the team or former employees generally, and the founders wanted to improve the culture. | Moon Studios co-founders Thomas Mahler and Gennadiy Korol, in a response reproduced by GamesBeat. | This is the founders’ response and position; it does not independently settle the allegations. |
| GamesBeat knew of no lawsuits or criminal probes arising from the allegations. | GamesBeat, as qualified in its report. | This describes the outlet’s knowledge at publication in 2022, not the legal status today. |
GamesBeat’s report does not establish a court or regulator finding. Its statement that the allegations had not, to its knowledge, led to lawsuits or criminal probes was limited to what the outlet knew at publication; it should not be read as confirmation of the current legal status.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Read the report
Read Dean Takahashi’s GamesBeat report, first published March 18, 2022, and updated June 19, 2025.
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