Microsoft Reportedly Refused To Work With Ori Developer Due To Toxic Workplace Allegations

thegamer.com:

Earlier today, we found out that Moon Studios--makers of the renowned Ori games--is reportedly an "oppressive" place to work. That’s largely due to the studio’s co-founders, Thomas Mahler and Gennadiy Korol, who allegedly created a toxic work environment thanks to unprofessional public chatrooms. According to interviews with current and former employees and screencaps, Mahler and Korol would joke about their penis size, “killing Jews,” and be openly critical of employees while withholding praise for a job well done.

The VentureBeat report also claims that crunch conditions were pervasive alongside this toxic behavior from the studio founders, leading to mental health problems, burnout, and high employee turnover.

Related: The Games Industry Is Truly Repellent

Now we’re finding out that these allegations of a toxic work environment not only cost Moon Studios its employees but also the studio itself. In the latest episode of Game Mess with Jeff Grubb and Mike Minotti, Grubb said that sources told him that Microsoft was aware of the issues within Moon Studios and decided not to publish its next game after Ori and the Will of the Wisps.

"It's not like this culture is like something that is contained,” said Grubb. “Microsoft is well aware of what this company is like, and when they got done with Ori 2 there is a reason that Private Division is publishing their next game and not Microsoft.”

Moon Studios' next game is described as a 3D action RPG that’s significantly darker in tone than Ori. Take-Two’s Private Division will be publishing this game after Microsoft apparently decided that Moon Studios’ reported toxic culture was too great of a liability.

“I was told this explicitly this morning, that Microsoft was aware and