Pros
DPS is an amazingly kitted out company. Everyone has an electronic standing desk, two monitors and a great computer. The office is huge, spread over two floors and has a number of private rooms and areas. The audio rooms are incredible and would rival or exceed the same in other industries. The deli is also great, very cheap for great food. Snacks, fruit, drinks and alcohol all provided for free. There is a painting area for Warhammer, plenty of board games to play and two table tennis tables. It would genuinely be difficult to find a company with a better office. Hiring is generally fantastic. They have or have had some of the best experts in multiple fields. The main project had tons of potential. Benefits were also great and salary was good for most disciplines, only being dated towards the end of 2021. DPS, as a company, really tried to look out for their employees. Hybrid working is also a positive. Wargaming, as a whole’s, response to the war in Ukraine was fantastic. Wargaming stepped up in ways that wasn’t expected, and went above and beyond.
Cons
DPS was always hindered by decisions made by executives who are either delusional or completely out of touch. The executive creative director did more distracting and derailing than directing. Getting on the executive creative director’s bad side could result in your termination. Producers at the executive level would take control of overall direction, which would result in mismanagement, split focus, confusion and eventually firings or resignations. The project had massive potential that, if the experts who were hired were listened to, could have been realised. Instead, it was squandered by sticking to early 2000s game design, nonsensical limitations on creativity and out of touch decisions relating to the target audience. It is disappointing that DPS could not achieve the potential it had. DPS constantly push for feedback and talk about cultivating a culture based around it, however after multiple questionable “resignations” and “parting of ways” instead created a fear of giving feedback. Routinely anyone that would speak up would be noted and gain reputation within the company as someone to watch out for. Good culture came from friendships, as executives have been caught out gossiping, bullying and creating a pretty hostile environment for people they dislike or people that have since left the company. Accounts of harassment have also circulated, some leading to termination and others protected due to their status in the company. Progression within the company isn’t very transparent. Each discipline is handled differently but most seem to come down to the amount of time in the industry, rather than skill or merit. This can be very frustrating.