Controversy Brewing

One of the more controversial aspects of the gaming industry in general is the methods most companies use to determine who gets credit for making a game, and who does not. The policy of many companies is to only credit those developers who are actively working on the project at release. So you could pour your blood, sweat and tears into a game for two, three, even four years and not get credit for that - but the kid straight out of college who doesn't know a thing got credit because he was hired three months before release after all the work had been done. It's frustrating, to say the least.

With this annoucment by Mark Jacobs today, it seems Mythic Entertainment is joining the list of companies that prefer this method.

"Over the years, we've had hundreds of people work on the game, and we thank everyone who helped us bring our Warhammer passion to life, but only current employees that have continued until the end will be credited in the final game," Mythic VP and general manager Mark Jacobs told Shacknews.

"Accreditation in Warhammer Online recognizes the incredible team that has poured their heart and soul into making WAR an amazing MMORPG experience," he added.

While Mr. Jacobs was kind enough to recognize that there are many people who worked on the game that are not getting credit, and to thank them, many people feel that is not enough - especially the developers in question. The root of the issue is that these developers are now in a very sticky situation. The next time they go to look for a job, if they say they worked on Warhammer Online there will be now no way to prove that. It hurts their credibility (even though they are telling the truth) and therefore makes it harder to find employment. On the flip side the coin, that kid that was hired just before launch can say they worked on X project, has the "proof" to back it up, and can possibly get a better position than he deserves.

For more information, please check here.