A lot of potential mired by poor management. - Senior Lead Artist A44 Games Employee Review

2.0
May 10, 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- Great team, great people. I've had the pleasure of working alongside some exceptionally talented people with a wide mix of skills and backgrounds. - Good opportunity for growth (for some). Management was very supportive in my personal growth prompting me to reach for higher positions. - Handball lunchtimes. The team was very welcoming and often held lunchtime games which were great for team bonding outside of your own departments. - Work life balance. I did very little overtime during my 3 years at A44, 40 hour work weeks lend much more time to home life.

Cons

- Politics. A44 started out with great promise however politics and in-fighting has left production in a confused state aspiring very little confidence in many. - Employee retention. While A44 has been able to attract some extremely talented artists in the digital arts space they've all very quickly moved on as they come up against a sometimes very negative work-environment. - Quick to point the finger. All too often I've been in meetings with the CEO where he is quick to point out flaws in other departments work, shaming others while never offering any constructive feedback. It felt un-professional at times and would always leave me feeling uneasy. - Salary & work life balance. Salary was quite poor compared to competing studios, juniors are on minimum wage with mid-level artists making just above that. As a senior the pay is better, but that varies from person to person. - Personal anecdote. I once had my pay deducted for being short of my weekly 40 hours by 10mins, even though for over a year prior I had been putting in an extra two to five hours a week, HR really lasered in on that shortcoming. - Final Thoughts. As negative as some of these points may seem, you will meet some very competent, creative, hard-working and genuinely great people, its just a shame that management can't quite figure out how to properly utilize the great talent pool they've sourced.

Explore other reviews about A44 Games

1.0
Nov 9, 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The location is nice. Many of the lay people are pleasant and fun to work with.

Cons

Management has no clue how to manage their resources. A nasty tendency to hire people with one job title, then require work well outside of their original job description, and then wonder why the work isn't being done as efficiently as they thought it would be. Job hunters beware. If people aren't being let go, they are leaving at a pretty heavy rate. Low pay, which could be acceptable if not for the first point above. Upper management believes they know what made their last game remotely successful, but they have squandered capitalizing on any success by actively getting rid of anyone who doesn't agree with them. Management refuses to actively document, and changes their mind on key features on a whim. A minor positive - if you don't bring up a change you think is bad, they will forget about it in a week. Laughable deadlines for completion of features thanks to the previous point.

7
1.0
Jun 30, 2025
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Passionate and Friendly Colleagues – Worked alongside highly motivated, skilled, and supportive team members who made the daily work environment enjoyable.

Cons

Lack of Merit-Based Advancement – Career growth often depended on alignment with management rather than skills or performance, creating a "yes-man" culture. High Turnover of Experienced Employees – Many senior professionals who voiced constructive criticism were dismissed, leading to a loss of institutional knowledge. Unreliable Communication – Frequent changes in direction, broken promises, and inconsistent messaging from leadership created distrust and instability. Nepotism & Favoritism – Key positions were often filled based on personal relationships rather than qualifications, limiting fair opportunities for others.

See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All